A Deal with the Devil
by GracieSnow
Summary: When Kagome's life is thrown into chaos she finds herself in a large debt with an even larger medical bill. Sesshomaru needs a wife and is willing to marry Kagome, provided she stays out of his way. With an arranged marriage, raising Kagome's sister and an old power back for revenge, Kagome's life looks like it's been changed forever... COMPLETE
1. The Dealings of Marriage

Kagome was making a deal with the devil. As simple as that, she would be giving up her life to him. She wouldn't even regret it. Now, she just had to convince him to buy her soul.

It was noon on a Saturday, and Kagome had never been more nervous. Not even during her geometry final exam, which was the determining factor between her repeating a year or passing. Even if Kagome had enough time to remember all of the moments in her life, she would have been hard pressed to choose a more distressing moment.

The room she was sitting in was cool, with a frigid air conditioning system that would have chilled her to the bone, had she not been sweating so furiously. There was red wall paper decorating the room with a traditional Japanese theme, despite the room being on the twentieth floor in a prestigious sky scraped in Tokyo. The other furniture was made with cherry-oak wood and styled to match the rest of the room.

The setting made Kagome nervous. It really did. However, it paled in comparison to the demon sitting across from her. He had long white hair, sharp golden eyes, and intense markings on his smooth skin. He breathed intimidation, and Kagome, who was normally outspoken and proud, unaffected by the world's views of her, cared very much about how he viewed her.

Everything in her whole world weighed on his opinion of her. All of the things she held dear, or rather, the only person who mattered in her life, depended on this interview. This _marriage_ interview.

She cleared her throat, unclenched her hands from the hem her dress, and met his gaze. "So you see, my lord, it would be very beneficial to you if we were to marry."

His expression remained untouched by emotion, so she took that as a sign to continue.

"The world views marriage as a stable thing," she wouldn't mention the rising divorce rate, "and the political image of a bachelor such as yourself would improve greatly if you were to marry. Having a wife would make you more relatable to and the people of Japan would feel more comfortable with you." Pausing for a second, she realized her mistake, "I mean, not that they don't already feel comfortable with you, but it would put you in a more humane light…"

He cocked an eyebrow.

She stuttered a bit and continued quickly, "Not that being a demon isn't okay. People love demons. They respect them too."

His face remained still and she knew she needed to stop tripping on her words, and fast.

"Marriage is a sign of stability, and a sign of maturity. It would benefit your image greatly to have a quiet, respectable wife from a good background."

She took a breath and dared a glance at him. He looked at her for a moment, pondering what she said and nodded. Kagome wasn't sure if he was agreeing with her or telling her to continue, but it was a good sign. She had been right to find logical reasons for him to marry her, and even though she had nearly made a fool out of herself, he was listening to her.

"Marrying me would put you in more favorable terms with Taiyoukai Enterprises, because my adoptive father was the last head of the group." He nodded, silently accepting her point.

"This would directly connect you to your predecessor, and the company would be more comfortable with you in the position of the new head, especially given the untimely death of my father." She didn't even flinch as she referenced her father's death, only held his strong gaze and spoke evenly. He approved, and nodded in agreement again.

"Also, I can state the many benefits to being a married man. A wife could ward off unwanted affections from other women, and she'd be able to do it politely. A wife could host parties for you and take care of the matters in the house. I could help you out in any way you need." She bit her tongue, realizing she had slipped up and referred to herself as the wife.

He narrowed his eyes and stated, "I have various maids and butlers who help me out with unnecessary things such as that. I would not need a wife for those reasons."

She thought for a moment, and came up with her best response that didn't sound desperate. "A maid or butler wouldn't provide stability in your political image for you, though."

He looked mutely pleased with her response and she could have sung with happiness. She had proved to him that he needed her as his wife. Everything would be okay.

"You will explain to me why you need this marriage," he announced, his voice deep and powerful.

She swallowed uncertainly. "I-uh," Kagome blinked and tried to think as fast as she could. What would be a good response? Should she tell him the truth, that she needed the money? Or should she lie, and tell him she wanted to be a part of his fame, legacy, or power?

She started to shake her head, but stopped herself, remembering her polite company. He wouldn't like it if she wanted power, he was the type of man who wanted an old fashioned woman who would be quiet and calm (she wasn't calm or quiet, and nothing like the traditional woman he would want her to be, but she wasn't about to tell him that). He would be the most comfortable thinking she needed money, because that was a motive he could understand easily.

"I need some money," she told him in a low tone. "One would think that the powerful Sendo family would have lots of money, but my mother and her husband were in a bit of debt when they died."

Kagome sat back in her seat and let herself remember what exactly had gone on in her family the past few years.

* * *

Kagome had been nineteen when her beloved father died from a heart attack. He had been her role model, her caretaker, and so much more. Her father had been the one to raise Kagome because of her mother's thirst for power in the political world. He had come from a long line of Higurashi's, who had been a large and prestigious family a long time ago, but had since fell from power. The last survivor of the Higurashi family, her father, was dead, and the lands had been left to her at age nineteen.

Of course, she was too young then, earning a degree in collage, and her mother had been put in charge of taking care of the lands until Kagome could. Widow Higurashi saw this as a problem, and frequently ignored everything that had to do with the lands, even the bills, which would soon add up to be quite a price.

Three months after Mr. Higurashi's death, widow Higurashi had begun to reunite herself with the pleasures male companionship could bring. Kagome had been too busy or too embarrassed to pay attention to her mother, and focused on completing her collaged degree. A month later widow Higurashi was married to Kenta Sendo, the leader of Taiyoukai Enterprises, and pregnant.

Now, Kagome mused, was the downfall of her parent's life. Kagome's mother wasn't just pregnant four months after her wonderful husband's death, she was pregnant with a hanyou, because Kenta Sendo was a demon. Hayous were a novel sort of people, half human, half demon, and more rare than platinum.

Over the years, society's acceptance of demons had grown more and more respectful and tasteful, and with the equality laws that had been passed before Kagome had been born, her generation never knew the tension between demons and humans. Hanyou were special to see, but people didn't hold prejudices against them anymore. Most people, that is.

Soon after the little girl was born, Mr. and Mrs. Sendo found they didn't have enough time to take care of a baby. They both were influential political figures who felt more responsible to their country than their family. Those first few months of the baby's life Kagome had taken care of the child along with a house hold maid. She had tried to put up with her parent's irresponsible actions, because she understood they had busier lives than her.

A few months later, she was fed up with them, and she intervened. Her mother and adoptive father had struck her a deal: She would care for her little sister during the day time, and they would continue to pay to keep the Higurashi's land. Kagome would also be allowed to live in the shrine house she grew up in, and they would pay for her little sister's schooling. The agreement was nothing formal, and they always came to collect her after work hours had finished, but everyone agreed it was best for little Rin to be raised by a sibling instead of a nanny.

Now, seven months after her parent's death, Rin was the only family Kagome had left. And with the discovery of several unpaid bills for the Higurashi lands, her adoptive father's debt from his latest campaign, her mother's new car and Kagome's student loans, it was apparent she would never have enough money to live.

Then Rin got sick. There were such few demon and hanyou illnesses that it was assumed every disease was fatal, and Kagome didn't have enough money to run tests to see if that was true. She had been sick for two days when Kagome found out how much general hanyou medication would cost, and with that, Kagome knew her fate was sealed. She had to protect Rin, so even if she needed to sell her soul to the devil to keep her alive, she would.

Kagome knew that she needed to get money, and fast, but she was backed into a corner. She had two options: marry rich or sell the Higurashi lands. It was selfish, and she knew it, but Kagome could bear to sell the lands that she grew up on and the place that her father had loved so much. Though Rin was not part of the Higurashi line, Kagome had wanted her to experience a summer with the rolling mountains and lush green fields, babbling brooks and everything that had made Kagome's summers worth waiting for.

There was also the fact that selling the lands would not pay off all of the debts, only provide them with some momentary money. And coupled with the cost of Rin's medical bills, they would soon be in deeper debt. So to provide Rin with a better life, Kagome would marry for money, not love.

She returned to looking at the dog Demon across from her and decided that if she wanted him to marry her, she'd have to expand her presentation to him. Like a business deal, not only would she highlight_ why_ he needed a wife, but why it needed to be _her_.

"I'm the only one who could relate your image to the former head, and I have a polite background. I won't be trouble, I can manage things on my own." She searched her mind for other qualities he would want from her, but could not think of too many. If she was silent, she would be fine.

He regarded her with an expressionless face. _If I marry him, I'll have to see that expression every day for the rest of my life._ "Do you have any conditions?" He inquired. _Was gaining a better life for Rin worth more than the rest of her life?_

"Only a few," she whispered, feeling slightly sick. The rest of her life. "I need you to pay my debts… and..."

She swallowed and he watched her fight a battle with herself. She closed her eyes for a moment, and he reflected on his own motives for their marriage. He was being pressed by his advisors to get married to a human, because it would be good for demon-human relations. Then, just as he had been sorting through marriage candidates, she had found him.

He had long since outgrown his deep hatred for human kind, but he still found them weak and pathetic. They could work their whole life and never be happy, or figure out what they want to do, but never try to achieve that goal. They were fickle and loud, unrefined and ugly, which made him continue to dislike them. However, he had once met a human woman who had sparked his curiosity, and from then on decided maybe every single human wasn't pathetic. Only most of them were.

"I need you to pay for my sister's medical bills. She is the hanyou daughter of the former head of Taiyoukai Enterprises, so helping her out will improve your image more." She looked up at him with her azure eyes.

"This one has a condition too," he announced in his deep baritone. "This marriage will remain intact for the rest of your life, and as you know, you cannot get out of it. It will be permanently binding."

She nodded, and he continued smoothly. "We will not, under any circumstances have sexual relations. From the moment you marry me, you will be celibate to your death. There will be no sideline affairs or infidelity."

She wasn't quite sure if she should be relieved or sad. He was an attractive man, anyone with half a whit could see that, but he was cold and intimidating, so not someone she'd want to make love to. As much as she didn't want to have sex with him, she knew that seventy or eighty years would be a long time. He was a demon, someone with a lifespan of over five thousand years, so seventy or eighty years wouldn't be a lot for him. But for her, it'd be the rest of her life.

Kagome found herself nodding, despite her mixed emotions. "No problem. As long as you will watch over Rin when I'm gone," she rushed out.

He frowned at her, and she worried she had asked too much. Rin would like for over two thousand years, and probably die around the time he did. He wouldn't need to care for her all that time, but Kagome wanted a reassurance that someone would be around for her when she died.

He nodded to accept, and Kagome felt her throat closing.

"We will finish discussing this later. I will contact you soon to tell you the date of our marriage. Do not expect anything fancy." He stood up and presented his hand to her.

"I wouldn't dream of it," she murmured, reaching out for his hand to shake it. _The rest of her life._

His grip was firm, but cold. Shaking hands to end a business deal, she thought with a touch of sadness. Her marriage would be a business deal. As he led her to the door, she shuddered, imagining the cold future that awaited her.

She wouldn't be Kagome Higurashi in that future.

She would be Mrs. Sesshomaru Taisho.

* * *

Hi guys! This is Gracie, with the first chapter of A Deal with the Devil. I just want to clarify: This is an AU. It's modern day, and wow does Kagome have a weird family life. In case you were wondering, I'll try and explain it as best as I can. Kagome was mostly raised by her father (who didn't die when she was young) because her mother was always working. He died and her mother got remarried to Mr. Sendo, and they had a hanyou, who is Rin. Rin is Kagome's little sister in this, and she's really sick. Kagome has been worrying a lot about Rin, because she doesn't have enough money to pay for hospital bills and it isn't normal for hanyous to get sick. Kagome's mother, father and step father are all dead, and her cousin Miroku just got married to her best friend, Sango. I hope this cleared up any questions, but feel free to ask me what's going on.

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	2. Obligatory Bride

_Second thoughts_; _there would be no cold feet today_, Kagome chanted to herself as she drove to her wedding. There was no white dress, nothing barrowed and nothing blue, only two witnesses and a dusty church. It wasn't what Kagome had wanted as a child, and she was sure as hell it wasn't what she wanted now, but her life hadn't exactly worked out the way she'd expected it to.

"Umm, Kagome?" Sango, her best friend and the new wife of her cousin Miroku, broke the silence in the car.

"Yes?" Kagome ground out, clenching her teeth together and speeding down the highway. The tiny church that Sesshomaru had scheduled their little make-shift wedding in was out in the middle of nowhere, and Kagome wasn't pleased with her estimated time of arrival.

"I think we need to address this elephant in the room. Do you really think marrying him is the best option?"

Kagome knew Sango was trying to help. After Kagome had introduced Miroku and Sango at her birthday party last year, they had quickly fallen in love with each other. They couldn't get enough of being together, which was sweet to watch, but Kagome had begun to resent it. They acted like marrying for love was the only reason to get married. Sure, she could admit that it was certainly the prevailing idea these days, but Kagome needed to do this. She would marry for money.

"Look, Sango, I've already told you I have to do this. I need the money for Rin's treatment." She met her friend's mournful gaze before refocusing her attention back on the road.

"And I understand that. But I think you shouldn't have agreed to stay married to him. You have your own life to live." Sango sighed and bit her lip. Frankly, she worried for Kagome. Sango knew that if Kagome married Sesshomaru now, she would be miserable and depressed for the rest of her life the second Rin left the house.

"I said what I needed to say in order for him to marry me. And I'm going to follow through with it. I really don't want to talk about it." Sango sighed once more and returned to texting her husband updates about his cousin's wedding. Miroku had fallen sick at the last moment before Kagome's wedding date, and could not attend, which was probably for the best. Kagome couldn't deal with _three_ people who objected to her marriage.

* * *

Hi, Gracie here! This is the second chapter to A Deal with the Devil, and I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for the reviews and favorites, it's new and exciting to me and I like it a lot. See you soon!

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	3. Nerves

Kagome skidded to a stop in front of the small church with four minutes to spare. Primping the suit she was told to wear, she quickly reapplied lipstick and decided she looked as good as she ever would. Her long raven hair caught in one of her buttons and she attempted to calmly remove it.

"Need some help?" Sango asked quietly as she exited the car.

Kagome muffled a silent cry and nodded. Her hands were shaking too badly for her to unravel the strand. Sango walked smoothly around the car and fixed Kagome's hair before they began to approach the church.

* * *

A small drabble for chapter three. Enjoy!

All credit goes to Rumiko Takahashi.


	4. A Promise to the Devil

"Kagome Higurashi?" A stout imp waddled to Sango and raised an inquisitive brow.

Sango pointed at Kagome who was nervously patting her suit as she approached the church.

"Miss Higurashi, there's been a change in plans," the imp stated in a high, nasal voice and wrote something down on the yellow note pad he was holding.

Kagome turned to him distractedly and titled her head, signaling him to continue. Pushing his thick glasses further up his short nose he informed her of Lord Sesshomaru's wishes.

"Now he wants me to wear a dress?!" Kagome shouted, letting a slew of curses slip out.

"What made him suddenly change his mind?" She murmured, regaining her calm composure, and tried to act the way the perfect traditional woman Sesshomaru wanted would act.

"Lord Sesshomaru-sama does not change his mind," the imp scoffed and squinted up at her, "he simply reforms an idea. Lord Sesshomaru-sama said it would be good for the photos that will be released to the public."

Kagome took a deep breath. "Does he have a dress prepared for me?"

The imp nodded and his bald head reflected light into her eyes. "Lord Sesshomaru-sama is always prepared. He selected three dresses for you to choose from. Follow me."

Kagome bit her lip to hold back a frown and trailed after the imp. She didn't want to think about it, she just wanted this day to be over. Clenching her teeth together, she bit back a wave of nausea as she entered a room just outside the church that held the dresses. This would be the hardest day of her life, she was sure of it.

The man left after lecturing Kagome about nothing particularly useful and Sango stepped in. "Need some help deciding?" She inquired as lightly as she could.

"Uh, I'll wear that one," she pointed at the middle dress without looking at it. She wiped her eyes, trying her best not to smudge her make up. The whole situation was stressful to start with, but now this.

"I just—I need to do this," Kagome whispered to Sango.

Sango bit her lip, feeling helpless. "I know, and I just wish it wasn't true. If there was anything Miroku and I could've done to help—,"

"I know, you would've done it. We're all poor," Kagome sighed, and slid on a sleek white dress. It was pretty, but Kagome didn't want it. She wanted to have a dress that _she _picked out, on her own time. Not some expensive, impersonal dress Sesshomaru picked out. He didn't even_ know_ her.

They remained silent for a few more moments while Kagome prepared and Sango helped her with her hair. Far too soon, the annoying imp returned and Kagome suddenly found herself ascending the steps to the church. Sango stood next to her, as her only friend and family member attending the wedding.

Kagome hadn't had any time to wonder why Sesshomaru had suddenly made her dress up for their wedding. She had been told it was for some photos, and she'd had more important things to worry about after that. But when the doors to the church opened, it clicked.

There were people everywhere. Sesshomaru had arranged a wedding. A real wedding.

A taunt bitterness filled Kagome as she felt her feet begin to carry her down the aisle. He hadn't even_ told_ her he was planning this. Business associates filled the seats, rich wives and spoiled children were scattered in her section of the church. Her face twisted into a mask of disgust and she stopped walking.

Sango felt Kagome's shock and responded quickly, so that her friend wouldn't lose face. Nudging her arm, Sango led her friend for a few steps before Kagome resumed walking. The betrayed face Kagome had displayed melted into a perfectly contained face. She looked serene to the outside world, but Sango knew better. Kagome's future had just flipped from being an icy winter to a living hell.

Training her eyes on the stained glass window, Kagome thought this wedding couldn't get any worse. With the surprise guests, Kagome was left angry and hurt. True, she did not have many relatives or friends, but she did have some people she had wanted to attend her wedding. She had at least wanted her sister to witness her last day of freedom.

But Rin was sick, Kagome reminded herself. Keeping her head high she tried not to think of the painful lump in her throat. Then she spotted Inuyasha.

Sango separated from Kagome as she reached the alter and faced Sesshomaru. However, Kagome did not look at Sesshomaru. She watched his brother, Inuyasha, who looked like he wasn't a day over thirty, and the man of her memories. For a moment, she just gazed at him, her eyes clouding over as she remembered Kikyo and Inuyasha's love story.

_I will reminisce on Kikyo's memories later_, she told herself and tried to calm her restless spirit.

Kagome remained as calm as she could throughout the quick mass, but when they started their vows she began to feel nervous again. Vowing to spend her life with this demon, whom she barely knew, in front of so many people scared her. She had been raised in a shrine and was taught to obey and be mindful of the Kami-samas. Even if the church she was being married in didn't preach her religion, she felt awkward promising to love Sesshomaru in front of any God.

The minister turned to Sesshomaru. "Do you promise to honor and respect Kagome Higurashi?" He frowned as he read the words, which obviously had been altered by Sesshomaru.

"I do," he responded in a deep, emotionless voice.

"Kagome Higurashi, do you promise to honor and respect Sesshomaru Taisho?"

She swallowed thickly. She could do honor and respect. Easy. But for the rest of her life? She wasn't sure anymore. Kagome's mind raced as she once again felt an immense urge to run out of the church. Just two simple words would determine her future. It would take a split second to say the words, therefore condemning herself to a life of loneliness. But for Rin, she would say them.

"I do," Kagome found herself announcing.

* * *

Okay, here's chapter four! Sorry if anything is confusing now, but that will all be cleared up soon. The part where Kagome talks about Kikyo-that's still a secret. But if you must know, Kagome is remembering Kikyo's memories. Kagome was never with Inuyasha, but Kikyo was... And that's all I'm saying for now! More is coming soon! ~Gracie

All characters from Inuyasha belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	5. Wedding Woes

Kagome felt faint. True, she had felt nervous, confused and nauseous for the past week, but this was different. Now, instead of worrying about getting married to Sesshomaru, she had already completed that task. She was nervous now because she would have to live with that decision for the rest of her life.

Slumping against the window of Sesshomaru's car, Kagome closed her eyes and tried to focus on absolutely nothing. The car ride back to his house had become torturously silent, and it wasn't even over yet. Sesshomaru hadn't mentioned his displeasure over her actions yet, and Kagome had decided it would be best if she never mentioned how angry and hurt she felt towards him because of the surprise wedding.

The reception had passed in a blur that Kagome didn't remember. She had excused herself to the bathroom soon after it had started, where Sango met her and they had cried together for a little while. Her first dance with Sesshomaru had lasted all of thirty seconds, and was to the tune of dogs barking.

They danced to a traditional inu-marriage ballad, usually howled during their first night together, but Sesshomaru had opted for it to be the tune of their first dance. By then, Kagome didn't really have enough energy to protest with him, or exhibit any of the backbone she had left. She had been too shocked from the wedding.

During the wedding, Kagome's mind had been occupied with worries about her future and Rin's future to worry about the end of the wedding. It hadn't even occurred to her that western weddings ended with the new couple kissing. So when the minister had stated, "You may now kiss the bride," she was surprised.

Her surprise had barely been able to register in her mind when he took her in his arms and placed a kiss on her lips. And that kiss, though only the barest brushes of lips together, had stunned her yet again.

Kagome blamed her following actions on her day. It had been far too much for any sane human to go through. If getting married to a demon she didn't know in order to save her little sister wasn't enough already, she'd had several shocks and surprises, starting with the dress and ending with just about everything else. So to put it simply, Kagome cracked.

As diplomatically as an angry woman who wanted to save face could, she bit him on the lip. He drew back from her and snarled while she dashed out of the church. When she saw him again at the reception, he had frowned at her and lifted his bruised lip, so she could see the damage that she had done. It was an embarrassing moment for his Inu pride, and Kagome knew it, but she didn't feel guilty.

They arrived at Sesshomaru's mansion and Kagome was led by the imp she had met earlier to her room. Without a second thought, Kagome collapsed on her bed and fell asleep.

* * *

So here's a short chapter summing up the rest of Kagome and Sesshomaru's wedding. Pretty rough wedding, right? The next chapter is coming soon, and it's long, so be prepared! Enjoy

~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi


	6. Kikyo

The wind whistled outside Kagome's new room, causing Kagome's rest to be rather…. restless. As much as she had wanted to sleep, to fade into a sweet dream where none of her problems existed anymore, she couldn't. It was the howling wind… and the memories festering underneath her eyelids. Her wandering thoughts soon molded into those nightmare-like memories.

Five hundred years ago, a miko known as Kikyo had lived. She had been the shikon miko, entrusted with a powerful jewel, and important responsibilities followed. Those responsibilities, though, became her downfall.

* * *

When it had first been revealed that Kikyo was the Shikon miko, Kikyo felt larger than life. She was powerful, she was composed, and she had no limits. Kikyo was exactly the woman she had always wanted to be, a woman completely opposite to her mother, who had become a wild madwoman. Kikyo followed the simple rules that she had been told to follow, and everyone loved her.

Soon, though, those simple responsibilities changed. She was constantly working, and the older mikos had begun to put restrictions on her free time. Kikyo knew that a miko lived for the people, so she didn't mind. She was dedicated to her elder's rules; even when that meant she could not even see her family.

When Kikyo's mother gave birth to her half-sister, Kikyo began to protest the rules. She had complied with the rules at first because she had wanted nothing to do with her crazy mother. She had begun to harbor a deep shameful feeling towards her bother because when Kikyo had turned thirteen and been accepted into the sister hood, her mother Akira began to have visions.

Akira said that the Kami-samas wanted her to give birth to a powerful race of mikos. These mikos would have supreme power to rule over the youkai, eventually creating a superhuman youkai mixed race. They would be granted special powers from the Kamis, and would rule over everyone. Naturally, in a land that feared and hated youkai, and despised all notions of any human-youkai mixture, she was mocked and ridiculed.

Kikyo had attempted to disown herself from her mother, but had stopped after her sister Rin was born. She had met Rin one day when she was traveling through the village her mother was residing in, and was instantly drawn to her. Rin was the kind of baby who smiled like the sun and whose laughter sounded like a babbling brook. Everyone who met Rin loved her. She was the child of a powerful monk, and even as a baby, had shown great potential to be a powerful miko, which should have scared the neighboring villagers. But no one could bring themselves to harbor any ill feelings toward the little ray of sunshine.

Several weeks after Rin and Kikyo's first meeting, Kikyo requested a month of free time to spend with her sister. When the elders rejected her request, Kikyo began to rebel. When she was sent out for work, she would visit the village Rin lived in before returning to the miko headquarters. Kikyo's plan to visit her sister worked well, until she met Inuyasha.

The moment Kikyo laid eyes on Inuyasha, she knew he was fated to be her soul mate. Despite his demon roots, she began to love him, and him her. They met in secret, usually while Kikyo met Rin, and Kikyo felt as though her soul was finally complete. For a year their love affair continued to flourish and grow stronger.

Then, the elders became suspicious. Kikyo, who had already been sneaking out to meet Inuyasha for a year, became arrogant and assumed the old mikos would not catch her. After all, it had been a long time since anyone had tried to restrain her. She was the powerful shikon miko, and since she had not engaged in any forbidden actions, she was still pure. The elders had no real reason to keep her away from him, she decided.

Late one summer night, Kikyo was caught. The younger priestesses had told the elders which days she would sneak out and meet Inuyasha, so they were waiting for her when she returned. She was immediately sent to the inner rooms in the headquarters, and spent two weeks fasting alone. She lived on bread and water, and was supposed to be meditating on her crimes. If they had been too late to catch her, they told her, she could've lost her powers forever.

Kikyo tried to resist their ideas. She knew her mother had been a miko, and had retained her powers after sleeping with Kikyo's father. Akira had retained her powers even after Rin was born, and were only diminishing now because of her old age. Kikyo could observe the world around her and see things contrary to the elder miko's teachings, but after two weeks of brainwashing and fasting until she was weak and dizzy, Kikyo she wasn't so sure.

When Kikyo was finally released from her confinement, she had decided to make changes to her life. As hard of a decision as it might be, she decided she would give up being a miko. She would talk to Inuyasha the next day, and together they would decide to live apart from the rest of the world. She would see Rin too, as well as her mother, but that would have to be after the first few years of isolation from the rest of the world.

Suddenly, Kikyo's morals were changing. Instead of the composed, reliable miko she used to be, she wanted to be the heretic ex-miko, who married and bred with a hanyou. And though Kikyo would've hated the mere thought of her life turning out like that a few years ago, she was a changed woman. She had found what she loved and she intended to hold on to her loved ones.

But it was not to be. The very day before Kikyo would leave with Inuyasha, the shikon jewel was stolen. Quickly, Kikyo was immersed in an all-out war with Naraku, a power hungry half-breed. He wanted Kikyo, because she had saved him from death years ago, and would stop at nothing to have her.

Kikyo was the center of attention to the evil hanyou, and she fought battles every day with youkai who tried to capture her and bring her to him. She couldn't see Inuyasha or Rin anymore, partially because she didn't want to endanger them, and partially because it wasn't allowed.

Kikyo fought with the mikos against Naraku for years and years. She felt herself grow out of her teenage years and into adulthood, without even a glimpse of Inuyasha or Rin. And Kikyo's fragile heart, which had once opposed having deep ties to others, was deeply tied to Inuyasha and Rin. She never forgot them, not once, through those long years.

After seven long years, when Kikyo had aged to be in her mid-twenties, she felt the first signs of Naraku weakening. She would have rejoiced, had she not felt her own side weakening. The elder mikos had died in the fight and been replaced by younger mikos, who became the leaders of the war. But it was Kikyo who was the true leader. She was the strongest, fastest and most powerful miko of the group, and the smartest when it came to battle tactics.

When Kikyo felt the Naraku's power weaken a bit more, she felt it was high time for the war to end. The new elder mikos, who were now called the council of mikos, listened to her advice and made preparations. There was only one simple problem on the miko side of the war: the numbers of mikos in their troops was edging dangerously low.

She instructed the council of mikos to create enough of a distraction for Naraku in order for her to grab the shikon jewel. Kikyo, being the shikon miko, was the only one who knew how to wish a selfless wish on the jewel. Others could try, but if they were not the shikon miko, they weren't entrusted with the powers nessecary to end the jewel so that it would not return.

The idea was both thrilling for the council, because Kikyo had such confidence that she could end the jewel and Naraku, but also demanding. To create such a distraction with their small troops would be impossible, so they would need to recruit new troops. They would need to put young teenagers in battle.

Without Kikyo's knowledge, the council of mikos gathered the most promising teenagers to form their new troops. Among those young mikos was Kikyo's sister Rin.

* * *

A few days before the battle, the council was presented with an odd request. A demon met them outside the headquarters and asked to fight with them. He said he would distract Naraku, and kill him, or at leats die trying. When they asked him why he would go to such lengths, the demon had shrugged and replied, saying that Naraku had taken his true love from him.

Kikyo had not met this demon, and was suspicious of him, but looked past that because the mikos needed as much help as possible. Under normal circumstances, she told herself, she would have gone out to personally meet the new warriors who would be fighting under her, but these were no normal circumstances. She was going to end Naraku and the shikon jewel at this battle, once and for all.

When the day of the battle arrived, Kikyo was up before dawn. She read and reread the plans over and over again, checking for any mistakes that had slipped past her the few hundred times she'd read it before. Something felt different about this battle, and not in a good way. The feeling Kikyo had when she thought about the battle set her teeth on edge, and made her want to run from an invisible force.

As the first rays of sun touched the trees, the troops of mikos began to creep through the woods. The only sounds Kikyo could hear were the quiet crunch of leaves against the forest ground and her own heavy breathing. She glanced around at the troop she was leading and tried to determine how many women she had with her. Assembled in her troop were the most powerful mikos, and the oldest. Aside from the mikos on the council, the oldest miko still left was thirty nine.

Kikyo's troop was the second troop to find Naraku's den. As they had predicted, he was residing in the old cave she had first met him in. Naraku had swarms of youkai protecting his den, and many spread out further from the cave. Thanks to the new masking shield technique Kikyo had created, the youkai had not sensed their approach.

She neared the first troop and found the leader of it. The leader was a girl no older than sixteen, and one of the new recruits. Kikyo gave her a silent nod, signaling for her to wait for the other three troops to join them. The sixth and last troop was filled with archers who would take down the larger flying beasts, and had left for the mountains earlier that day.

For one quiet moment before the last troops joined her, Kikyo prayed to the Kami-samas. She wasn't sure anymore if she would win this war, or if she would live through it, and she wasn't entirely certain she cared anymore. She was tired and weary, her lust for life long exhausted and put out. But she was sure of one thing. She wanted Rin to live, for her mother to have more powerful miko babies, and for Inuyasha to meet a woman that was better than she could ever be. All she asked was for her loved ones to live.

With a signal from Kikyo to the newly arrived troops and the first troop, the mikos charged into the clearing and began to slaughter the youkai. Each troop was assigned a specific area, and though she had memorized it, she could not remember it as her own troop ran into the mess.

Creeping around the back of the chaos, Kikyo searched for a way to enter the cave. She wasn't sure where Naraku would be hiding, but if it was Naraku, he would probably find her before she found him. Surveying the battle, she looked on in horror at the mikos.

Everywhere she looked, a miko was engaged in a dangerous fight with a youkai. Though Kikyo had been fighting for seven years, she still felt the wave of emotion course through her body as she saw mikos being killed. Both sides were losing numbers, but all Kikyo could see were the young women, barely into their teenage years, killing and being killed, scarring them for life ever after.

And then she saw Rin.

From across the field, Kikyo saw Rin fighting a monstrous insect youkai. With one arrow, Rin cut into the youkai, purifying him instantly. Another appeared behind her back, and Rin used her knife to behead the animal.

Kikyo's mind swirled as she tried to comprehend why her little sister was in battle. She thought of the young troop of mikos in their teenage years. Rin was nearly thirteen, Kikyo calculated. She hadn't seen her since she was five. And now, Rin was purifying youkai, all because of Kikyo's orders.

She watched her sister move with a fluid grace. She fought like she was dancing, and if she had been older, the technique would have been praised by the elder mikos, and used as a new fighting style. If Rin had been older… she would've stood a chance against all of the youkai in the battle. But Kikyo knew that even though Rin was probably the best miko in her age group, she didn't hold a candle to a full-fledged miko. She was too young to be fighting.

When Kikyo saw her sister's face, she was alarmed by the lack of emotion. It was like the sun had been drained from Rin; no longer was she the sweet baby Kikyo had known. Now she was twelve going on twenty, with her luck in this battle determining her survival.

When Kikyo saw a boar youkai advance on Rin, Kikyo abandoned her original battle plan and bolted to Rin. She needed to get to her sister; she needed to save her from the large youkai. It was Kikyo's fault that Rin had ended up here along with the other young mikos, and Kikyo was beginning to rethink the whole idea of the battle including so many of their priestesses. It was too late to fix that mistake, so she would try to at least save Rin.

However Kikyo would not be able to save Rin. Whether it was fate or an accident, her beautiful baby sister was pierced by the tusk of the boar youkai, and killed by the poison from it. Kikyo arrived in time to watch her sister's face pale and then fall cold, as the last of her life left her body. And Kikyo would never forgive herself.

The battle lost all meaning as Kikyo ambled through the disorder to the den of Naraku. She left Rin's body at the trunk of a large tree, and made a tentative plan to bury her body in a field with flowers. Then after that… Kikyo wasn't sure what she would do. She wouldn't make any plans for her future.

When she spotted Naraku, some feet off from the clearing where the battle was taking place, he was already busy fighting the demon. They jumped higher and higher, the demon who was helping the mikos slashing his large sword at Naraku and Naraku dodged.

Kikyo took in the appearance of the demon, who had turned out to be a half-demon, and looked away. His white hair, red robes, tiny dog ears on his head… she wouldn't let her mind connect the dots. It absolutely wouldn't be Inuyasha. She couldn't bear to lose another loved one today.

When Naraku pierced the hanyo with one of his tentacles, Kikyo began to run towards them. The hanyo cried out and Kikyo covered her ears, so she would not hear the name he called out. And when he tossed the hanyou aside, she shot an arrow at him. She would end this now.

Naraku began to talk to Kikyo, but she could not hear him. Rather, she could not hear anything. Her eyes flew to Inuyasha, who was still alive, but badly wounded. She couldn't tell from her current location, but he looked as if he might bleed to death. Kikyo hated herself for allowing him to be brought into the battle.

Finally looking at Naraku, she watched as his face transform into that of Inuyasha's. Inuyasha's face sneered, and spoke to her, "Let's play, Kikyo."

Kikyo drew her knife, infused her miko powers into in, and stabbed him through the chest. She would not play any games with him, she was too vengeful now. Reaching at his neck before he had time to retaliate, she grabbed the jewel that hung on a chain around his neck.

"Goodbye, Onigumo," she whispered and sliced him again. She felt powerful, more powerful than she had even been as she fought Naraku. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have been fazed by her attacks, but as she knew already, these were no normal circumstances.

Turning away from him, she meditated to center herself. She only had one chance to end the jewel, only one wish. The wish had to be perfectly worded, perfectly selfless in order for the plan to work. Summoning all of her power, Kikyo wished for the jewel to be ended.

And from her hands, the jewel turned to sand and she felt the great Midoriko's spirit be released.

Then from behind her, Naraku lunged. One of his tentacles pierced her abdomen and then retracted, leaving a large hole in her. Using the last of her strength, she turned around and purified him with a large pink flash. She let herself fall, and then join her loved ones in the other world.

* * *

And as Kikyo died, she had but one last wish. One small wish that she would ask not from the power that the jewel had left, but from the Kamis. She begged the Kamis because they had let her sister die at such a young age, and maybe Inuyasha too, she wasn't sure. She needed this wish, because of all the mistakes she had made in her life.

She would ask for a do-over. Not a reincarnation, because Kikyo felt like she would mess up her life again if she was born anew. She would ask for a different soul, someone who would share their memories with her, and allow her to watch over them, but not be her. She wanted to be a guardian to this new soul, a mentor who would help them through their life.

Kikyo wanted to give her memories to someone else so that they could learn from her mistakes, and learn how to appreciate the beauties of life. Kikyo was ashamed with the way she had abandoned her family and Inuyasha because of the restritions the elder mikos had put on her. Looking back, she should've left the sisterhood when Rin was born, and when she had met Inuyasha. But Kikyo had been greedy, trying to possess the power that came from being the shikon miko, and the love her family was so ready to give.

Kikyo promised the Kami-samas that she would only be a bystander to this new soul's life, but would be their protector. In return for letting Kikyo watch their life, she would give them a sliver of her soul, which could help them in times of need. It wasn't much to offer, but Kikyo wanted some soul to take pity on her, and learn from her mistakes.

As her soul was floating into the other world, she felt a pull. The Kamis would grant her wish, if another soul would accept her bargain. Would any soul be willing to do this for her? Kikyo mutely worried. She had ruined her own life, she thought over and over again, would someone want her to be their mentor?

And somewhere within the other world a voice called out to Kikyo.

"I will."

Five hundred years later, the soft wail of a newborn baby's voice filled a delivery room.

* * *

Hello! How'd you like that chapter? It was reeeeaaally long for me (I'm used to writing shorter chapters), but I loved it. I just _needed_ to give Kikyo a back story. I'm sorry if you don't like it when authors rewrite history; I probably should've warned everyone I would do this! (It's an AU, if anyone didn't get that already.)

And now let me explain Kikyo and Kagome's relationship, in case that was unclear: Kikyo and Kagome are what I like to call soul sisters. Kikyo is watching over Kagome's life, sort of like her guardian angel. Kagome has a bit of Kikyo's soul in her, that shares Kikyo's old memories with her so that she can learn from Kikyo's mistakes. Basically, Kagome has a soul and a tiny bit more in her body, which sort of plays hand in hand with Kagome's "large soul" (that's something from the anime). I hope that clears up any confusion, but just ask if you have questions.

Please enjoy! All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	7. A Father's Love

From the moment Hiro Higurashi heard his daughter's voice, he knew he would love her for forever. She had such a wonderful cry, and such a loud and powerful voice Hiro instantly felt proud. And when the doctors handed his daughter to him, he saw that she had the most perfect blue eyes.

Hiro decided that nothing in life would ever make him as happy as seeing his daughter would. He decided with his wife that they would name their precious daughter Kagome, after the childhood nursery rhyme. She was so small, but so perfect, and Hiro wanted to watch her grow into a great woman.

And as Kagome grew month by month, it was clear to the whole world how much she adored her father. They became an inseparable father and daughter pair, playing games and having fun together. Hiro always knew how to take care of Kagome, and seemed to know what she need before she began to cry.

Mari, Kagome's mother, didn't understand Kagome at all. The baby always seemed to be crying around her, and Mari was never one to like babies. She would leave the house early and come home late, rarely seeing her daughter and rarely cared. Hiro and Mari would get into fights about Mari's demanding job, and how she didn't pay enough attention to Kagome. She was already seven months old by the time Mari decided to spend a little time with Kagome.

By then, it was quite clear to Hiro that Mari wasn't the mother to Kagome he'd wanted her to be. And he accepted it. He'd married Mari because it would unite her impressive family background with his. He decided that he wouldn't push the issue of Mari being a more active part in Kagome's life, so long as Kagome didn't mind when she grew older.

Kagome never seemed to mind that her father was the one who was always taking care of her. Even as a baby who was interested in everything, she seemed to pay as little attention to her mother as Mari paid to her. So Kagome continued to grow older and better with each passing day.

It was only until Kagome began to speak when Hiro sensed something was truly different about his daughter. Her first word was, "Daddy," and then she began to say other words like yes, no and bottle. But somewhere along the way, Kagome began to say "Kikyo."

The first time Hiro had heard his little ray of sunshine talk about Kikyo, he thought he must've misheard her. Babies were prone to talking about nonsense. Then, once Kagome started speaking coherent sentences, he heard it again. She would talk about what Kikyo had done when she was three. Hiro dismissed it, thinking Kikyo was a friend from school.

Then Kagome began to talk about Kikyo more and more. She would talk about weird things, like how to plant seeds and old wives tales, like how you shouldn't whistle at night or you will attract spirits. Hiro wondered where Kagome had learned those things, and decided he should investigate. The daycare center that she visited while Hiro was at work told him that they'd never had a Kikyo spend time at their center. They also told him that they'd never taught Kagome how to plant seeds, which seasons were best for harvesting or any old wives tales.

"Kagome," Hiro asked his daughter one day, "who is Kikyo? Is she your friend?"

He knew all about imaginary friends. Imaginary friends were completely normal for kids to have at her age, and he wasn't too worried. He was just curious about how she had learned all of these old-fashioned ideas from Kikyo.

"She's my sister," Kagome replied, her bright blue eyes glittering as she began to dance her way around the kitchen.

Hiro nodded and let the issue pass. Imaginary sisters were just as normal as imaginary friends. Feeling silly because he had been worried about Kagome and her imaginary sister, Hiro stopped thinking about it altogether. It wasn't until Kagome was six when the matter was brought up again.

During the parent-teacher night at Kagome's school, her teacher Mrs. Tomo asked to speak with Hiro in private. She started out with telling him about Kagome's brilliance, how she was catching on to learning all written forms of Japanese quickly and learned fast. Hiro was filled with pride for his sweet daughter.

"But Higurashi-san, I think you should talk to Kagome about Kikyo," Mrs. Tomo told Hiro, meeting his eyes and trying to convey the importance of the matter.

"Kikyo?" He was surprised. Kagome talked a lot about Kikyo, but it was normal for children to have imaginary friends. And the stories Kagome told him about Kikyo—he was always surprised by how detailed and complex they were. She really was brilliant, to be able to have such an inventive mind.

"Kagome talks about Kikyo all the time. And though it is normal for children to have imaginary friends, this isn't the normal case. Kagome is in second grade, and by now most children have stopped talking about their invisible friends. They leave that for when they're playing by themselves. Kagome, though, plays with Kikyo all the time. She has few friends whom she talks with besides Kikyo."

Hiro frowned. So his daughter was a bit anti-social. She was fine, and he wasn't going to listen to some teacher who thought she knew everything about kids. Kagome was Kagome, and he wasn't happy she was trying to suggest her daughter was going to become mentally unstable.

"There are many kids who grow out of this phase, but something about the way Kagome talks about Kikyo that worries me." Hiro felt like he had time jumped back to a few years ago when he was worried about Kagome and her little friend Kikyo.

"The other day at recess, I tried to get Kagome to play with some other girls. I figured she would get along great with this girl Yuuka, but Kagome refused, saying she was playing with Kikyo. She told me that she had played with Yuuka yesterday, and she had promised Kikyo she would listen to Kikyo's stories that day." Mrs. Tomo bit her lip and frowned.

"When I asked her about the stories Kikyo was telling her, she said Kikyo was telling her about Kikyo's life, and Kagome had promised her she would learn from the stories. Then I asked her what Kikyo was trying to teach her, and Kagome said, 'Kikyo had a very sad life because she was a miko who loved a hanyou and had to fight a bad hanyou named Naraku. She saw Rin die, and she wants me to love my family a whole lot!'"

A tense feeling settled over Hiro. He'd never heard Kagome talk about someone dying, and he understood it wasn't completely normal for a little girl to be thinking about death. Nodding to Kagome's teacher, he asked, "So you think I should talk to Kagome about Kikyo?"

Mrs. Tomo shifted. "Well, yes. She seems to think Kikyo lived a long time ago, and won't listen to me when I try to explain that Kikyo is just imaginary."

Hiro left parent-teacher night and drove over to his brother's house. His brother, who had a ten year old son named Miroku, probably had experience with things like imaginary friends.

"Satoshi," Hiro greeted his brother with a firm hug as he opened the door to his house.

Hiro entered his brother's house and sat in a chair at the kitchen table. Satoshi sat down across from him and leaned back in his chair. "What's wrong, little brother?"

Hiro frowned. "It's about Kagome."

Satoshi leaned forward and nodded, silently telling his brother to explain. When Hiro told him about Kikyo, Satoshi furrowed his eyebrows. "Miroku never really had imaginary friends when he was younger—he had a lot of class mates he got along with. These days, though, my son seems to be causing a lot of trouble with the girls."

Hiro smiled and shook his head. "Miroku, you can come in here." The ten year old walked around the corner he had been sitting at eavesdropping and took a seat at the table.

"Has Kagome ever talked to you about Kikyo?" His father questioned him.

Miroku nodded, "Well, yeah. Kikyo's her soul sister."

Both men raised an eyebrow. "She's been telling me about Kikyo's life for years. Kikyo lived five hundred years ago." Miroku finished with a grand nod.

"So you're telling me," Hiro murmured, "my daughter has a spirit following her around and telling her how to live her life?" When Miroku confirmed his question, Hiro bid goodbyes and returned home.

For a while he couldn't get much out of his daughter. She told him all about Kikyo, but when he would suggest maybe she stop talking to Kikyo, Kagome would get mad. Her sparkling blue eyes would darken and she would say that she would never abandon Kikyo, because Kikyo was family.

So Hiro began to silently pay more attention to his daughter and Kikyo. If Kikyo was actually a spirit who was following Kagome around, he would worry Kikyo was a vengeful spirit. And if she was an imaginary friend, he would worry for his daughter's ability to make friends. Hiro didn't really know what to think anymore, but if he paied close attention to Kagome, he could see her listening to Kikyo.

When she listened to Kikyo, Kagome's eyes turned a placid blue color, and she would focus intently on some unknown voice. Then she would nod, and her face would return to normal, and she would stop listening.

Then one day when Kagome was ten, while Hiro was driving his daughter to her miko classes, Kagome told him Kikyo had stopped talking to her.

"It happened a week ago," she glumly stated. "Kikyo told me that since I'm ten now, and she's taught me as much as she could, she's just going to watch over me again. She also tells me that because I'm the new shikon miko, I have to focus on my miko studies more."

"Shikon miko? Kikyo told you that you're the new shikon miko?" Hiro knew all about the shikon jewel. It had been destroyed years ago by the last shikon miko, and was never seen again.

"Daddy, it's okay," Kagome said quietly, because she knew her dad was a bit distressed, "I am just a really powerful miko. Even though I can't use the power because I don't have enough control, Kikyo said that the power that was left over from the shikon jewel is in my soul."

Hiro frowned and pulled into the parking lot of Kagome's miko training school. "Okay honey, I love you," he kissed her forehead as she left the car. Hiro felt how sad Kagome was without Kikyo, and remembered what he really wanted for his daughter. He wanted her to be happy.

* * *

The summer break of Kagome's first year in college, she came home to visit her father. She had been studying history and business, and Hiro was so proud of her. Because Hiro was in the middle of a job change, Kagome had arranged to stay with her best friend Sango until he had his work sorted out.

They had arranged to meet at a café for lunch the day after she arrived, but Hiro arrive an hour early. Even though he spoke with his daughter often, and tried to visit her as much as his job would allow, he was thrilled to have her back home. He had finally worked out his job and home situation the day before, so she could stay with him now. But just to see his little baby girl… that was enough for him.

Kagome arrived thirty minutes before the scheduled arrival time, and smiled warmly when she saw him. "I knew you were going to be early Dad, but not _this_ early."

"I knew you would be early," he teased back and ordered her a tea. His sweet daughter looked beautiful in the pink sweater he had sent her, and it warmed his heart to see her looking so mature. Nineteen years ago he had never expected her to look so charming, or to even grow up, for that matter. But now, he wouldn't have wished his or her life to turn out any differently.

"How's school?" He asked and they talked for a while. She told him about her friends, classes and teachers, as he shared his frustrations over his job.

"How is mom doing?" Kagome asked, sipping her second cup of tea.

A frown passed over Hiro's face and he glumly replied, "Your mother and I—we're going through a bit of a rough patch. She… wants to feel young again but I… don't. I'm happy with being the father I am."

"You guys are still young," Kagome patted her father's hand. "Don't short change yourself. You still have a lot of life left in you."

No sooner had the words left her mouth, when eyes glazed over. Kagome's hand stilled, and Hiro recognized the look on her face. Kikyo was talking to her.

They were silent for a moment until Kagome closed her eyes, and bowed her head. Hiro watched his daughter as she seemed to crumple from the inside out after hearing what Kikyo told her. A deep pit settled in his stomach and he began to pat his daughter's shoulder.

Kagome straightened and met her father's eyes. "Dad—I"

"What did Kikyo tell you?" Hiro gently inquired as his features smoothed into a kind, fatherly expression.

Kagome cleared her throat. "She told me to remind you that I love you. I love you so much, Dad."

Her eyes brimmed with tears. "I couldn't have asked for a better father. You mean the world to me—you've always been there for me. I want you to know I'll always love you."

Hiro felt his own throat choke up. "Kagome, I wanted to tell you. I just didn't know how," his voice broke, "Did Kikyo tell you that I have cancer?"

Kagome nodded, her tears spilling over her cheeks. "You can get past this. We can work through this…"

"Sweetheart," a tear leaked out of one eye, "you know it really isn't possible. I have colon cancer. I'll be gone in a few months."

Kagome sobbed quietly and Hiro took her to his car so he could drive her back to Sango's house. For a while, they just sat in the car together, weeping softly. Kagome wept because she would lose her father, her very first loved one, and so much more. Hiro wept because he would lose the opportunity to see his daughter grow older, and then see her have children of her own. He didn't regret anything in his life, nothing at all. Only not having a longer life, to see his perfect daughter grow into the woman she was meant to be.

After a while, Hiro broke the silence. "How did she know? Kikyo, I mean."

Kagome rubbed her eyes and smiled weakly. "She can see your black string of death. She's a spirit, you know."

Hiro nodded, and felt at peace. He had worried a long time ago about Kikyo and Kagome, but he wasn't worried anymore. Kagome would be just fine.

"She told me because she knew it was hard for you. Even though she hasn't spoken to me for nine years," Kagome let out a light laugh as another tear slid down her cheek, "she knew you were important enough to break the silence."

Hiro smiled at his daughter. She was so smart. He was so proud.

"Don't worry, Dad. Kikyo will be waiting for you."

* * *

How's that for a chapter? Nice and juicy, and thick with back story. I promise the next chapter has to do with the real plot. But I couldn't resist. I needed to write about Kagome's father. The chapter had started out centered around Kagome and Kikyo's relationship, but it swiftly changed to Hiro Higurashi: boy wonder has a baby. And I'm not even sorry!

Oh, and did you catch where Hiro said Mari his wife and Kagome's mother wanted to feel young again? Remember that four months after Hiro's death, she was already pregnant and hastily remarried. Looks like she wanted to feel irresponsible too, doesn't it?

Now here's one last thing that somehow I've forgotten to adress: where is Souta? My answer to that is: I don't know! XD I know it would make a heck of a lot more sense if Souta was Kagome's sibling (or Kaede, even). But I like Rin a lot, so she's the lucky little winner who was chosen to be Kagome's little sister. Kikyo's too, if you were watching. (that will come into play later.) Also, now that Sesshomaru and Kagome are married, Sesshomaru is also one of Rin's guardians, just like in the show. So sorry if you were waiting for Souta to show up in this story, because he's not going to. My condolences, if you are sad.

~Gracie

All Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	8. Battle of Wits

Sesshomaru didn't need sleep, but on the night of his wedding, he thought he deserved it. After gaining a new wife and becoming the legal guardian of a hanyou, he determined that he wanted to sleep. However his new wife in the room next door was tossing and turning so loudly that sleep evaded him.

When Sesshomaru found that he'd had enough of trying to sleep, he rose and began to work on papers for his job. The new responsibilities with his job were large, but nothing that would faze him. He had gained a larger family than he had ever wanted, but before the wedding he had thought he would still have plenty of spare time. Now, though, he was beginning to think he'd gotten more than what he'd bargained for when it came to his bride.

She had surprised him at their wedding. He had sensed her anger when she walked into the church, and he had sensed her fury when she met him at the altar. And while he knew she wasn't the perfectly traditional woman that she wanted him to think she was, he hadn't suspected she would bite him in front of the guests. Even though it wasn't easy to surprise him, she had found a way to do it.

But now, Sesshomaru found that the surprise wasn't entirely unwelcome. By biting him on the lip, she had satiated some of his more youkai desires, proving to his more instinctual side that she was a mate worth pursuing. It was typical for there to be a chase during the courtship of youkai, and a bite was the initiating factor. It had disturbed him when he found that he wasn't angry because of the bite, but had quickly averted his attentions. Sesshomaru knew he was far too above courting or needing a mate, and had already made that clear to his new wife.

As the first light touched the treetops outside his mansion, Sesshomaru heard her wake. Kagome Higurashi was an early riser, he thought to himself, and stored that fact away for later. He didn't want much to do with her, but he had the sense enough to acknowledge that if they were going to live together for the next eighty or so years, it would be helpful to know a few things about her.

For a little while, Sesshomaru let his hand still on the papers he was finishing and thought his new life. After completing a thorough background check on Kagome Higurashi, he had found the source of her large debt. Her father's lands, which needed to be maintained by crew of housekeepers and an even larger crew of gardeners, had a large bill that wasn't paid as often as it was required. Then the hospital bills from various family members including her deceased mother, father, step-father, and now the young hanyou had also been added up into her debt. Lastly, the campaign both her mother and step-father had not been fully sponsored, so the extra money had come off their credit cards, thereby increasing the debt further.

And Sesshomaru had deduced that because of him paying off her debt in full, she had decided to live her life as a quiet wife, exactly what she thought he would like. She was cautious around him, dancing over her own toes trying to make sure he was pleased with her, or at least approved of her actions. The last thing she wanted was to anger him, and he knew why. She didn't want him to stop paying the hospital bills for her sister.

Sesshomaru listened to his bride shower and eat breakfast for a bit, while he finished the last of his papers. He suspected she was up to something, but would wait until she came to him to find out what that something was. And sure enough, a quarter after nine, she arrived at his door.

He waited in stoic silence as she paced in front of his door. _No doubt planning how to talk to him_, he thought to himself with a bit of irritation. He didn't know quite why he was annoyed that she always acted so formal around him, but dismissed the feeling quickly. He wanted people to be proper around him if they weren't groveling at his feet.

She opened the door and peeked around the corner. He watched her reaction as she met his steady gaze and straightened her posture. She stepped lightly into the room and bowed deeply. He frowned as she straightened and stood with perfect posture.

"I would like to tell you that I will be visiting Rin today. She was transferred into a different hospital yesterday, and I regret not being there with her." She nodded stiffly and turned around to leave.

Sesshomaru kept his face emotionless but felt annoyed with her, yet again. She wasn't asking him for permission, she was simply telling him.

"Return in an hour," he told her, so that he was at least controlling her in some way.

She looked over her shoulder, and without turning around, breathed, "Excuse me?"

His expression remained cool as she glared at him.

"I'm not doing anything bad. I'm going to visit my sister, Sesshomaru," he narrowed his eyes and she amended, "sama."

"You would do well to listen to me," he stated smoothly.

"I will be back in four hours, after visiting Rin and eating lunch."

"You will be back in one hour, after visiting your sister."

She rocked back on one leg and crossed her arms. "I'm not going to be told what to do. I got married to you, not sold. I have my own free will."

He stood up and walked around his desk, using his size to intimidate her. He was pleased that she was able to put up a fight, for most people would have simply followed his first command. He wondered briefly how far he could go until she too would obey him.

"Weren't you bought? Aren't I paying your bills?"

She bit her lip and looked away from his eyes. He waited for a few minutes as she battled herself on the inside. He could sense her torn emotions, and almost felt sorry for making the comment. Almost; Sesshomaru was never sorry, and never had a reason to be.

"As you wish," she bit out, and left his room, her disgust leaving a foul scent after she had left. For a second he was disappointed with her, because she had given in quicker than he had expected. _Where was her pride?_ He thought with his own disgust.

He sat back down at his desk and resumed working on his papers, knowing he had won the battle of wits. Now that his young bride knew who was in charge at the household, she wouldn't try to cross him again. There would be no repeated incidents similar to her biting his lip at the wedding. She would be submissive, just like she should be.

Three hours later Kagome returned, happy and defiant.

* * *

I know, I know. It's so typical... Everyone has a scene in their story where Sesshomaru's all like: I'm interested in her but I don't know why! And Kagome's all like: I hate him! But I'll love him soon, because that's just who I am! I'm so loving!

But let me explain why it's so necessary, because it is. (And if you don't like ramblings, just skip this author's note.) Kagome harbors this deep anger towards Sesshomaru for the obvious reasons, his personality, their wedding, etc. But it's also because he has enough power to save Rin, who means so much to Kagome. Without Sesshomaru, Kagome would be living in extreme poverty, crippled by the debts of her family, and she'd be dragging Rin down with her. Kagome couldn't save Rin without Sesshomaru, and she hates him because he can. It's a bit of a jealousy thing, but you didn't hear that from me.

For Sesshomaru, it really only makes sense if he is a bit interested at the beginning. Sesshomaru's opinion is less flexible than Kagome's, and once he has a bad opinion of you, he always has a bad opinion of you. He is more definite when he makes an impression of someone (maybe it's the dog part of him?) but if he disliked Kagome the way she dislikes him, there would be no love in this love story. As it is, the story is going to go from Kagome changing her opinion about him to then loving him, but he must first come to terms with the fact he is hanging around a human, and then loving her. In a way, his side of the love story is harder, because his opinion about humans was formed so strongly with disgust.

So I hope you see that this chapter was necessary. And not totally clichéd. Because it isn't. Sort of.

Please enjoy (thanks for the reviews!)

~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	9. Visiting the Patient

Kagome tried not to think of Sesshomaru as she drove over to the hospital Rin was residing at. He was just so arrogant and controlling, she couldn't help herself. She couldn't _stand_ him_. He was a rude, sadistic, cold, jerk-ish son of a—_

Kagome stopped her train of thought before she finished it. If she let herself hate him now, she'd never stop hating him. And if she hated him… well, she only disliked him now, and she wasn't sure how her life was going to turn out. If she hated him, she didn't want to imagine her future with him.

As she pulled into the large parking lot next to the hospital, she promised herself one thing. She would try to be friends with him. There was no problem with trying. And if she was at least on comfortable terms with him life at home would be a lot easier for Rin. So for Rin, Kagome would try to befriend him.

After making a quick stop at the food court for two smoothies, Kagome arrived at Rin's room. Rin had been put in the special demon ward where demons and hanyous were treated. Kagome tried to assure herself that Rin had the best doctors and best technology on her side, so she would survive this cold, but she couldn't help being nervous. Hospitals brought back less-than-pleasant memories for her.

"Rin?" Kagome called out as she opened the door to Rin's room. She watched as twin puppy ears poked out of the bed covers and a dark haired head followed after. Kagome smiled and walked to her bed.

"Hey sweetheart, how are you doing?"

Rin turned in bed and Kagome saw that while she looked a bit healthier than she had before, her skin was still pale and pasty.

Rin eyed the milkshake Kagome was holding and her face lit up. "Much better! Did ya get me it? A purple shake?"

Kagome laughed and pulled up a chair. "You bet, kiddo! Only the purplest for this girly!"

Rin giggled and took a couple sips from the drink. "Did ya have to sneak it past the nurses? They said I couldn't have ice cream or pancakes or anything fun."

Kagome shifted. "Uh—yeah… I was like a ninja, moving so fast they couldn't even _see _me!"

Rin giggled as Kagome took a sip out of her vanilla milkshake. One thing was certain, whatever medication the doctors had put Rin on was helping her out a lot. She had some of her energy back, and her spirit looked like it was returning to her again. It was a pleasant change from how Rin had been looking before that. It made Kagome feel like she'd made the right decision to marry Sesshomaru.

A couple days after Kagome had promised to marry Sesshomaru, they had started the process for bringing Rin back to health. Rin had been given a checkup and then put into a hospital where she was then kept in a treatment room. Kagome was told that Rin had a common cold for demons, which was more dangerous for hanyous. The doctors said that without the medication, it could've taken Rin up to two years to return to normal, and she could've been permanently affected by the illness.

For a few moments longer they both drank their drinks in silence, before Rin piped up with a question. "So how's that man? Is he nice?"

Kagome watched her sparkly-eyed sister exude excitement as she asked about Kagome's new husband. _Husband. Didn't think I'd have one of those anytime soon._

"He's very quiet, Rin. When you come to our new home you have to make sure you are quiet around him. He doesn't like loud noises."

"Does he have super hearing like me? Can he hear you when you sing in the shower? Will we be able to play hide and seek together because we have super hearing?"

Kagome laughed and patted Rin's head. "It would be nice if he did that, but sweetie, I don't think he can. He doesn't have much time and… I'm not sure he knows how to play games like that. He doesn't play very much." She smiled and tried to change the topic. She really didn't want Rin to be involved with_ him_.

"Then I'll just have to teach him!" Rin raised her hand triumphantly but lowered it slowly after Kagome heard a quiet pop. "Maybe once I'm healthy."

"We'll talk about it then." Kissing Rin's forehead, Kagome said, "I'm going to have to go soon. Visiting hours will be over."

Rin sighed, and Kagome's heart broke at the noise. "Not yet. Please. I…" she lowered her voice and whispered, "I don't like hospitals very much."

"I know," Kagome whispered back. "Me too."

The girls sat in silence, holding each other for a moment and thought about the reason why they didn't like hospitals. Their mother and father had both been kept alive on artificial machines for two weeks after the car crash. It had gotten to the point of being unbearable by the time the doctors told them their parents wouldn't make it.

For Kagome, there was another reason. Hospitals reminded her of her Dad, and how he had been hospitalized for four weeks before he had died. Those four weeks had been the worst weeks of her life, where she visited her Dad every day and had to watch him suffer. And though she tried not to worry that Rin would die too—she was in the best hospital for youkai there was, with the best doctors—she couldn't help herself. Hospitals should've reminded her of becoming healthy, but they reminded her of death.

Kagome patted Rin's head once more and said, "You'll get healthy fast, I promise. I really must be going now, but I'll see you tomorrow."

Rin looked up into Kagome's eyes, and with a devilish glint she held out her pinky. "Swear it!"

Kagome locked her pinky with her younger sister's and grinned. As long as Kagome had Rin, and Rin had Kagome, they would be a family. A happy family.

* * *

Awww, sweet. Family time!

Hope you enjoyed it! ~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	10. Tea Time

The next day after Kagome had visited Rin, she formed a plan. A plan so annoying she felt as though she'd rather pull out her out teeth with pliers than perform it. But, alas, she knew it had to happen.

At precisely one o'clock she found herself standing outside the door to Sesshomaru's work room. He had just returned from work and had started his papers, and Kagome had found out that he normally had a cup of tea with his papers. So there she stood, holding two hot cups of green tea, in front of her oppressor's door.

"Ehem," She cleared her throat as her husband called out to her.

"Come in."

She opened the door as if she was expecting to find a burglar in the room. His golden glare met her fierce blue gaze and she straightened herself. He frowned and resumed work on his papers.

"I'm here with some tea," she announced politely.

"Hnn… Why?"

He hadn't moved to respond to her, but she continued to approach his desk. Rubbing her lips together, she placed one tea cup on his desk. "I brought you your tea today. I'm going to do it from now on."

He frowned again and looked at her skeptically. "I have servants who will do that."

"I know, but I thought this would be more personal." With a glance his way she let out an irritated breath. "I figured we should get to know each other."

His face remained cold as he responded, "I know enough about you."

She bit her lip, trying to hold back her annoyance, which was now in full bloom. "I don't think you do."

"Then it is a good thing I do not take orders from you. Our opinions differ." For a second the idea that he might have a sense of humor flickered across her mind but she quickly brushed it aside. He was just being arrogant and condescending.

Without returning a word to him, she turned and walked to the couch resting along one of the blue painted walls of his room. She sat down with grace and took a dainty slip. Her eyes flashed towards him and her message was clear: she would not back down.

Despite himself, Sesshomaru was impressed with the small female sitting across the room from him. Her stature did not make her intimidating, but her eyes told a different story. She had her own ideas, and wouldn't bow down to his just because he was superior to her. He had met many other humans, but she surpassed them all because of one thing. She wasn't afraid to look him in the eyes.

"This is my proposal to you," Kagome said after a couple minutes of silence, "I will bring you tea at one each day, and in return we will spend time together for an hour."

Sesshomaru took a sip out of his tea and found it sweeter than he was used to. "I have maids to bring me my tea, as I have already told you. This is not necessary."

"Maybe it's not necessary, but I would like to do it anyways. We wouldn't even have to talk."

Sesshomaru found he did not care either way, and told her, "I will permit you to pass an hour each day in here for a week. If your desired result is not present by the end of the week, you will cease bringing me tea, and stay out of my way. Do we have a deal?"

Kagome almost laughed. She was beginning to understand him, and thought his version of her proposal was so _like him_. Of course he would try to control it. He would put a time limit on her idea, and expect results within the time limit. She likened him to a scientist; he always wanted his experiments to work out _just so_.

Kagome nodded in agreement, and they sat in silence until Sesshomaru returned to his papers. Kagome continued to sit on his couch and think. When the clock chimed two, Kagome promptly stood up, and collected Sesshomaru's empty cup.

"I'm going to give these to the maids." She turned and told him over her shoulder, "Oh, and I'll be back tomorrow. Same time, same place."

As she left, Sesshomaru found himself anticipating their next meeting.

* * *

When the clock struck one o'clock in the afternoon, Kagome found herself yet again standing outside Sesshomaru's work room. With a deep breath, Kagome shifted one hot cup of tea in her hand so she could open the door. Today she had brought a book for herself to read while they drank tea.

"Hello, Sesshomaru," Kagome smirked as she placed his tea on his desk. With one look at his stony expression, which was minutely different from his normal icy expression, but expressed a completely different meaning, she smirked larger and added devilishly, "-sama."

"Good afternoon, wife," Sesshomaru responded, just to irritate Kagome. He knew she didn't like to be referred to like that because the way he said it made it feel like an insult. Kagome wondered again if she'd just glimpsed at his bizarre sense of humor.

"I brought a book today," she mentioned to him, and took a seat on the couch.

Together they sat in silence as each drank their tea and worked on their work. Sesshomaru's imp Jaken entered the room once and began clucking about some absurd problem, but both ignored him. With a glance towards his watch, Sesshomaru found they had only spen thirty minutes together. As he was about to inform her that he wished to have more tea, he noticed that his wife had placed herself in an absurd position on his couch.

With her legs resting where her head should have been, he found her sitting upside down on his couch, rubbing her lips furiously and reading her book. For a moment he was surprised at how trusting she was, that she could feel comfortable enough around him to read in such a position was beyond even him. However Sesshomaru allowed her to remain in the position because he found he liked her better when she was relaxed around him, instead of formal.

The clock struck two, and its loud melody startling Kagome. She jumped from where she had been sitting, and knocked her head against the floor.

"Great Kamis, what the fu—," She looked around the room and her wide eyed stare met Sesshomaru's golden eyes.

"I—uh—I didn't mean—I wasn't!" Kagome stuttered and scrambled up off the floor.

Kagome straightened her clothes and found that she was exhibiting a bright blush on her cheeks. Sesshomaru waited with his famously silent stare, watching her with a slight interest.

"Do all humans read in the position you do?" He asked her.

Her blush increased and Kagome found herself wishing she could crawl up and hide away in a faraway hole. Anything to save her from the embarrassment of letting her guard down around _him_.

"Nope, just me… you should try it sometime. It's very comfortable." She smiled nervously.

He narrowed his eyes and said nothing. Nodding once, Kagome fled the room. Comparing the first day with the second, it seemed like Kagome should have quit while she was ahead and never returned for the second day. She had made an absolute fool out of herself. And in front of one of the most powerful demons, who happened to be her husband, no less.

* * *

The next day Kagome brought the same book with her when she brought him tea. Despite her embarrassment from the day before, Kagome needed to read the book. It was too addicting, so she decided that she would have to try and curb her tendency to read upside down while she was reading it.

He raised one critical eye brow at her when she sat down, but she politely ignored him. She still tried to act proper about him, but even though Kagome hated to admit it, she felt more and more comfortable around him. Maybe her tea proposition _was_ beginning to work.

Twenty minutes after one, Sesshomaru looked up from his papers and noticed she was reading upside down again. He cleared his throat, and threw a pointed look at her.

Flipping right side up, Kagome blushed and said, "It's a really good book."

He just stared so Kagome asked, "Have you ever read this before?" Flipping the book around so he could see the cover, she pointed to the title.

"No."

"You should read it. It's very intriguing and thought-provoking, and I love books that question society and everyday living… What types of books do you read?" She inquired, partially with interest, and partially being polite.

"Books about business or economics, and biographies. Also various other fact based and informative books."

She frowned. "Don't you read anything that doesn't have to do with your job? There is such a thing as reading for pleasure, you know." _Not that he knows anything about pleasure…_ Kagome couldn't resist adding.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "That is what I read for pleasure."

"Oh." Kagome blurted, and then asked, "Would you like to read this? I've read it several times before, so I wouldn't mind lending it to you. It's about the future, or at least what the author thought the future would be like. It's a dystopia."

He looked at her for a moment and then responded. "I am busy. I don't have time to talk about books."

Sesshomaru returned to his work without responding and Kagome felt a smile forming on her lips. When she left at two, she set the book outside his door in case he wanted to look at it. Somehow, she knew he was tempted.

Later that night, as Kagome passed his room to make some dinner for herself in the kitchen, she saw the book was missing from outside his room. She had asked the maids not to touch it, so she knew it had to have been him. He was reading it.

Kagome smiled briefly. Maybe, just maybe, they would get along. Her future might not be as dark as she had thought it would be.

* * *

Hi, all! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please RxR! (and for those of you on spring break, have lots of fun! I sure am!) ~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	11. Stomping on Feet

"Knock, knock!" Kagome announced as she walked into Sesshomaru's work room with two cups of tea. He glanced at her and held out his hand for the tea. With a devilish smile, Kagome placed the tea on his desk and gave his hand a pat.

Sesshomaru frowned at her, but Kagome could see in his eyes that he was amused. On the seventh day of the tea proposition, Kagome and Sesshomaru were beginning to settle into a familiar pattern. Kagome would bring the tea and then they would talk about something. Their topics ranged from books to politics, and they found they shared common interests and ideas.

The most important thing Kagome found out was that he was willing to listen to her. She had conducted her own background check before they married, and had found out he used to be a brutal and strong warrior. He had been the heir to the Western Lands, and had engaged in various battles. He wasn't known for his sympathy or kindness, but known for his lack of. Her worries had been confirmed when she'd met him, and found him to be cold and emotionless.

Now, though, Kagome felt her opinion changing, just a bit. He was cold, but he wasn't frozen solid. There were times when she would've bet money he had a sense of humor, even if it was a bit warped. Some emotions were more prevalent in his personality, like disapproval or arrogance, but Kagome didn't mind that as much as she had a few days earlier.

Kagome sat down on her comfortable couch and took a sip of her tea. "How's work going?"

Sesshomaru glanced at his papers, and then looked at her again. "As usual."

"How's the business deal with Monks United going?"

"Naturally it is progressing well."

"Of course." Kagome swallowed a large drink of hot tea and slowly shook her head at him, while smiling softly to herself. He really sucked at small talk.

As if Sesshomaru could feel her pitying him, he narrowed his eyes at her and asked, "How is your sister? Doing well, I presume."

Kagome nodded, "Rin's recovery is nearly complete. Thank you for asking."

"Hnn." He took a sip of his tea. The tea still tasted sweet to him, but he found that now, he preferred sweeter tea to bitter.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Kagome said after a few minutes of comfortable silence, "I need to tell you something."

He remained untouched by emotion so she continued. "It's about my job. I took a week off, but I'm going back to work tomorrow."

When she met his eyes, she saw hostility.

"What?"

He remained cold and reserved. Kagome fumbled in her mind for something to say. "It's just a job. I'm sure you knew I had a job before we got married."

He took another sip and stared at her coolly. "I knew, yes. However, you have no need of a job now that you have married me, so you will resign."

Kagome's emotions quickly switched, from being fearful of making him angry, to being furious. "It's my life, and you can't control me like that. I'm not some doll you can keep locked away in your house. I thought we already established that."

"I told you that you may visit your sister each day, not work in some low-class lingerie shop."

Kagome seethed. "Miroku's shop is_ not_ low-class. Don't talk about my family that way."

They glared at each other until Kagome closed her eyes and leaned back against the couch. She wouldn't give in—Miroku needed her as a worker. When she had needed to work three different jobs and quit her internship at Taiyoukai Enterprises. Miroku had been understanding to her, giving her easy hours and a tiny raise. Now that she was married to Sesshomaru, she didn't need the job, but Miroku needed her to continue to work because he was short on staff.

"I swear, you won't be able to stop me. Talk to Miroku if you want me to stop working, but even if I don't work there, I will work somewhere else."

Sesshomaru watched his little wife massage her temples. He, too, had felt a bit of progression in their relationship, and he hadn't necessarily wanted to back track on it. He wouldn't give in, because he was the head of the house, and once he made a decision, that was final, but he was willing to wait. He would wait for her to tire of working, and become the pampered, expensive business man's wife he had viewed in the world. It was only a matter of time until _she_ would beg to quit her job.

He thought for another moment, and then told her what would happen. "I will let you resume your internship at Taiyoukai Enterprises in a month. You will have until then to end your job at the lingerie shop."

Kagome made an angry noise at the back of her throat and said, "I will decide where I work and who I work for. If I wanted my internship back, I would get it myself. I don't need my husband throwing his weight around in his job to get me special privileges."

"After the internship, I would arrange for you to work at Taiyoukai Enterprises. You have one of two options: become my secretary at this point, or work under my division. Either way I would be your boss."

"I don't want my husband to pay my paycheck. That's not the kind of work I need."

"This is not up for negotiation, woman."

"I never said it was."

They sat in silence again, frustrated and hostile. Kagome was at her patience's end with his arrogance, the very thing that she hadn't minded a minute ago. Sesshomaru was irritated with his wife's defiance—he knew she was not youkai and wouldn't understand the importance of submitting, but he had at least thought she had enough of a self-preservation instinct that would stop her from provoking him.

Finally Kagome ended their fight. "Look, I don't want to fight with you, Sesshomaru-sama. We don't have to decide anything about my job right now."

He shifted his gaze over to meet hers. He understood his wife, and knew what she was planning, but also wanted their fight to end. Though he preferred her angry to stiff and proper, he liked her relaxed best of all. "You will be going to work tonight?"

"Yeah…"

He resumed work on his papers without another word. When the clock chimed two, Kagome felt reluctant to leave his room, even though they had just been fighting. Something about him was just so interesting, that sometimes she would catch herself watching him. Making up her mind, she invited him to dinner.

"I know that we usually eat on our own, but Miroku and Sango have invited me to dinner tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to go with me."

He looked up and responded with his deep voice. "I will think about it."

* * *

Happy Easter! (And for those of you who don't celebrate, happy weekend!)I hope you enjoyed their fight. And I am a bit sorry they fight so much, but hey! At least they made up! (sort of) It's going to take a bit of time for them to completely love each other, but if you look closely, they are already starting to. Right now they're almost friends-that awkward relationship that's more than being acquaintances, but not ready to be called friendship. Anyways, have a good day.

~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi


	12. Unexpected

"Hello, this is Ms. Kagome Higurashi—ah, I mean Taisho. I am calling to talk to Rin Higurashi, room number B205 in the Hanyou and Youkai wing."

Kagome waited patiently as her call was transferred over to Rin's room by the hospital secretary. The nurse who had been taking care of Kagome answered in Rin's room and Kagome asked again if she could talk to Rin.

"Hey Kaggie!" Rin's bubbly voice filled Kagome's ears and she smiled.

"Hi sweetheart, how are you?"

"Oh, guess what Kagome, guess what! I get to go home tomorrow! I feel great! The nurse told me I am healthy!" Rin could barely contain her cheer over the matter.

Kagome giggled and cooed in approval, "That's great! Wow, I can't wait!" The nurse had told her a few days before, but Kagome had wanted Rin to be told the day before she left, so she wouldn't be excited for three days straight. As Kagome had predicted, the moment Rin had found out about her release, she hadn't stopped babbling to the nurses about her joy.

Kagome let Rin ramble about what had happened after Kagome had left, and once she was finished Kagome began to speak. "So Rin, tonight I am going to have dinner with Sango and Miroku."

"Okay, but can I have dinner with them too?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Since you are still at the hospital, you can't come over."

Rin interrupted her with a sigh. "Oh…"

"But I wanted to know if you wanted me to bring you back some left overs, since you can't come. And I promise we can all eat dinner together soon, Rin. That sound good?"

"Yeah, I guess," Kagome hear Rin despair over the games she would miss playing but then quickly remembered the subject of her previous thrill. "Can you make me the cookies? The purple ones, so I can have them when I get home tomorrow? Please, please, I promise I won't be sad you get to have fun without me and I'll be a very nice and quiet girly around that man if you make the cookies. Please?"

Kagome laughed, and felt like she could almost see the puppy dog eyes Rin was putting on just to butter her up. "You mean the meringues? Yes…. I suppose I could make them. Special for you, sweetheart."

Rin licked her lips loudly on the other end of the receiver. The purple colored cookies that were called meringues that Kagome made were her favorite treat. They always came out looking like puffy, elegant flowers.

"Okay, so if that's all," Kagome checked her watch and found she only had thirty minutes to get dressed for dinner, "I've gotta go. I'm going to finish the last touches on your room tomorrow and then pick you up around ten. Sound good?"

"Yup, and Kaggie—"

"Oh and Rin, I have work tomorrow. I'm sorry sweetie, you'll have to play with the butler Jaken tomorrow for a couple hours. He's a green imp youkai, and he's a little annoying, but I'm sure you'll be fine with him."

"Kaggie—"

"I miss you, Rin, but don't worry. You're coming home tomorrow, and one more day isn't such a big deal. You're a big girl, and you're healthy now, so you're going to have to deal with one more night at the hospital."

"Kagome, I love you. I miss you a lot, too."

Kagome bit her lip, and whispered into the phone. "I love you so much. So much."

Rin said goodbye as Kagome hung up the phone, feeling emotional. Sesshomaru had already proved to be a kinder demon than she had thought before, but now Rin would be coming to stay with them. If Kagome searched through Kikyo's memories, she could find a truthful account on Sesshomaru's previous interactions with hanyous. Though Kikyo had never met Sesshomaru in the past, Kikyo had loved his brother Inuyasha.

Kagome knew that with age came wisdom, and Sesshomaru had a lot of wisdom. He had been a fierce youkai in the past, and had been a leader for the youkai when the humans began to develop new technology. He was no longer the merciless human hater he used to be, and had even reconciled his relationship with his half-brother for the most part, but Kagome wasn't sure how he would receive Rin. She wasn't sure how the cold-hearted Taiyoukai would deal with a hanyou so pure and innocent.

* * *

Kagome took a deep breath as she entered the garage of her new house. Sesshomaru had told her to meet him in there when she was ready, and then they would drive over to her cousin's house together. During the hours after Kagome had invited Sesshomaru to dinner, she hadn't worked up the courage to tell her cousin he was coming. She didn't worry about the food, but she worried about their reactions to having the great demon lord eating dinner with them. They were, after all, both from youkai-hunting families. The Higurashi's consisted of a long line of mikos and monks, all with spiritual powers, and Sango was from a line of Taijiyas.

Kagome laid eyes on Sesshomaru and tried to resist the wave of attraction that crashed over her. They were both dressed in semi-formal wear, Sesshomaru wearing a dress shirt and slacks. Kagome was so used to seeing him in a suit and tie, that she was nearly embarrassed to see him in fewer clothes than that. She scolded herself for a moment, and felt like the virgin bride she was.

He smirked at her, as if he sensed her reaction, and sauntered around the car to open the passenger side door for her. She met his gaze fiercely, and accepted his act of kindness.  
Their fight about her work hadn't quite ended yet, but she hoped there would be no hard feelings when she went back to work. He might be the boss of Taiyoukai Enterprises, but he wasn't hers. Without a word, she slipped in and fixed her short, light blue dress so that it wouldn't show off more skin than it needed too.

* * *

"Sango, Mirkou! It's so nice to see you." Kagome greeted when her cousin and best friend opened the door of their house. Kagome threw her arms around them as they stood, stunned, in the doorway.

"Hello, Kagome," Sango recovered as quickly as she could from the shock of seeing her best friend's husband. "Hello, Sesshomaru, my name's Sango. I was Kagome's maid of honor."

Sango held out her hand to Sesshomaru as the party stood in silence. Miroku looked puzzled and Kagome's gaze flickered nervously between Sango and her husband. When she saw the disgusted look on Sesshomaru's face, she remembered what was wrong.

"Sesshomaru-_sama_, I think I left something in the car. I might need to get that later," Kagome blurted and then shifted nervously, hoping Sango would get the hint. Her husband was very _temperamental_ about respect.

As the ordeal progressed to be absolutely awkward, Sango made a clicking noise in the back of her throat and opened the door so they could enter the house. "Pardon me, Sesshomaru-_sama_."

Kagome sighed as Sesshomaru returned to looking like an icicle and followed Sango into the kitchen.

"He really loves respect—I can't even begin to tell you." Kagome whispered to Sango and stole a peek at Sesshomaru, who had undoubtedly heard her comment with his youkai-hearing. He allowed a faint smirk for her as he took a seat at the table.

"Tonight we're having roasted pork and mashed potatoes. The green beans will be out in a moment, and the salad is already on the table. Please help yourselves," Sango told everyone, pointing to the food as she spoke.

Dinner progressed with comfortable conversation and small talk, and Kagome began to relax. Miroku and Sango were enjoying themselves, and her husband seemed to be getting along with them, much to her surprise. She found that she had underestimated him—either in his acting or his personality. He was acting perfectly, as a great guest and an interested husband.

Then, once they had nearly finished their meals, Kagome saw why he had been so perfect and polite to her friends. She sat next to him, fuming, but held her tongue as he began to speak.

"Miroku-san, I hear from my wife that you own a shop. She also tells me that she will be working there."

Miroku shoveled a bite of potatoes into his mouth and swallowed. "Yes, Kagome is always the reliable cousin. One of my employees is on maternity leave, so Kagome is picking up the extra shifts. She told me she would work a two hour shift tomorrow," with a perceptive glance at Sesshomaru, he inquired, "Is that still correct?"

Kagome rubbed her lips together nervously, waiting for his response.

"You are correct; she will be working for you tomorrow." He replied, and Kagome's lifted spirits made him feel pleasant. Clearing his throat, Sesshomaru subtly demanded Kagome's attention. "However, she will be getting a proper job at a different business soon. She cannot sell women's undergarments when she is the wife of a celebrity. I'm sure you understand."

Miroku and Sango exchanged a glance and smiled. "Of course, Sesshomaru-sama. We wouldn't dream of it. She is merely helping us out in a time of need," Sango said smoothly.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "How about I get a game?" She stood and waited for their suggestions.

"I vote for poker," Miroku volunteered.

"Pictionary, please," Sango sang.

"Mahjong," Sesshomaru offered in and uninterested voice.

"Karuta, for me, then!" Sango giggled as Miroku chimed in, thinking Sesshomaru had been joking. They didn't understand that the serious Taiyoukai enjoyed playing the old fashioned game.

Sango and Miroku continued to giggle while Sesshomaru watched them. Kagome observed the scene with interest, where Sesshomaru sat in his chair, not confused or offended, but simply being. Kagome was fairly certain that he'd never been joked with like this, and she though would've felt like she was at his mercy days ago, she didn't now. She felt like she was watching something new and entirely different grow in his life, and her life. Their life, together, was changing.

"Guys," Kagome sighed and turned around to search for Miroku's old set of mahjong tiles, "he wasn't joking."

Sango and Miroku shut up instantly. They turned together, as one unit, and mumbled a shocked apology. Sesshomaru found himself nodding politely to the human couple.

* * *

Once the night was growing late, Kagome and Sesshomaru decided it was time to leave. Sango began to clean up, and Miroku lead the couple to the door.

"I'd like to see you soon, Kagome," Miroku hugged her and then turned to Sesshomaru and held out his hand. "It was pleasant to meet you. I'd like to see you both soon."

Sesshomaru shook his hand politely and then turned to Kagome, "I will go start the car. I'm sure you would like to speak to your cousin, but be quick."

Kagome watched him leave the house and wondered how he had known. "He's right. I did want to talk to you, Miroku."

"Oh?"

"It's about Kikyo."

"Oh." Miroku waited patiently. He was the only living person who knew about Kikyo, and understood what it meant when she spoke to Kikyo. It spelled trouble.

"She didn't talk to me—that's not it." Miroku's expression relaxed. "She hasn't spoken to me since… The car crash."

"Then what happened?" Miroku asked after a moment of reflection on the death of his aunt and uncle.

"Her spirit… You see, Inuyasha is not dead. I saw him at the wedding. Her spirit has been restless this past week."

Miroku leaned against the wall, and Kagome felt her eyes fill with tears that Kikyo could not shed. "He's not dead. I don't know how, but he survived. I mean, I'd known already because I'd found out he was alive when I did a background check on Sesshomaru, but it meant so much to me to see him. He's alive, Miroku!"

Miroku smiled, and hugged his cousin once more. He could only imagine the emotions Kagome was feeling now because of Inuyasha being alive. He knew she felt happiness from Kikyo, but sadness because Kikyo would never be reunited with Inuyasha on earth. Miroku only hoped Kagome could sort out her emotions from Kikyos, and not confuse Kikyo's restless spirit with her own nervous spirit.

"I'm happy for you, and for Kikyo." Miroku ushered her out the door, "But your husband is waiting for you."

"Right, him," she quirked an eyebrow with a hesitant smile, "he's a real keeper, ain't he? So patient and charming—I'm still surprised he wasn't already married when I got to him!"

With one last smile, Miroku watch Kagome walk down the steps of his front porch and enter the passenger seat. "He might be the best thing for you, Kaggie."

* * *

Hi, all! What did you think of this chappie? Dinner was an... interesting affair. Awkward, but then, what did you expect? Kagome, Miroku and Sango are all besties, and then Sesshomaru is the stoney extra person. But he's sort of nice, for a moment there, right? He smooths over the job thing, and it looks like he won't object to it anymore.

If you're unsure about the games that I mentioned, here's a short explanation: Mahjong is a strategy game and you use tiles to play it. Karuta is the game in Chihayafuru (a really good anime) and you have a bunch of poems/old songs on these cards, and you have to select the proper card as a person is reading that card. (okay, that was a horrible explanation, just look on wiki if you don't understand!)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I've got more coming soon. ~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	13. Meeting Rin

Kagome paced through the house, trying to remember everything she had to finish before she left to pick up Rin. She needed to finish making Rin's bed with new covers—back to Rin's room, which was a few rooms down the hall from Kagome's room. She needed to get her car keys—onwards toward her room. Then there were the meringues—back to the kitchen.

Kagome ran around for a few more minutes, until she decided she was done, and paid a quick visit to Sesshomaru who was, surprise, in his work room. Kagome had known he was a workaholic, but hadn't, in her wildest dreams, ever thought that he worked this much. The only places Sesshomaru would ever be found at were his work rooms, the gym in the basement, or at his job.

"Hello, Sesshomaru-sama," Kagome announced as she entered his room. He acknowledged her presence with a short nod.

"I'm going to get Rin now."

"Hnn." The silence stretched and Kagome wondered how she should phrase the next question.

"I will have work after lunch, so I was wondering… would you like to have tea today with Rin and I? I'd like to continue having tea together, if you want to." She dared a glance at him and saw he was watching her, his golden gaze steady. "But today, since Rin is coming home, I made some meringues to go with the tea."

Kagome let out a long breath and puffed her bangs. "I know it's not exactly a perfect English tea, but I was hoping you would meet Rin when we have tea together. Or something like that."

Checking her watch, Kagome opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. She couldn't be late picking up Rin, so she'd have to leave now. "Just consider it, please. It'd be nice to have you at tea."

"I will think about it."

* * *

Walking around the side of her car, Kagome opened the door so Rin could hop into her booster seat. After a few thwarted attempts, Kagome helped the girl in. before buckling her, Kagome paused for a moment.

"Is that seat getting too big for you?"

Rin twirled a piece of her hair and mumbled her response. "Yeah, my bottom is squished. Sorry."

Patting Rin's head, Kagome crouched down so she was eye level with the little girl. "Sweetie… it's not your fault. You grow._ Kids_ grow. It's completely normal."

Rin sniffed, and Kagome saw how much it affected her. "But, we just got this one. It's pretty and it was," Rin kept her eyes cast downwards and whispered, "expensive."

Kagome kissed Rin's cheek, which now held the faint trail of a tear. It broke her heart to see how their poverty had affected Rin. Rin was a perceptive little girl, and Kagome's stress about their money hadn't escaped her scrutiny. _Kids understand more than you'd expect_, Kagome thought morosely.

"Don't you worry about that now. We are absolutely fine, and we can buy you a bigger booster seat." Kagome pinched Rin's nose with a smile, and closed the car door.

Popping into the front seat, Kagome ran through a mental checklist and made sure she had everything. Rin, booster seat, buckles must be buckled; everything was set but Kagome was still worried. Everything depended on how Sesshomaru would react to Rin.

* * *

Rin reached the front door before Kagome had finished gathering Rin's suitcases, but thankfully waited for Kagome to reach the door before she bounded into the house. In a rush, Kagome left the suitcases in the front hall and ran towards the kitchen. She had to quiet Rin down before Sesshomaru saw her, because he had undoubtedly heard her.

"Rin, wait!" Kagome stumbled into the kitchen as Rin reached for a meringue.

Kagome took Rin by the arm and sat her down at the table. "This is my house, and the same rules apply here as they did at our old house. I'm in charge, and you aren't allowed to run around like a baby."

Rin crossed her arms with a huff and Kagome waited. Slowly, just like all of the women in Kagome's family, Rin took a peek at Kagome and sighed. If given the proper amount of time, she would listen and obey.

"Thank you. Now I'm going to start the tea, and then I'll show you your room." Checking her watch, Kagome said, "It's not time for tea yet, but I'll let you have a meringue once we get back from your room."

As Kagome left the kitchen, she counted the meringues, which were arranged on a plate to look like a flower. Kagome mentally grumbled as she saw that there was one less meringue than when she had placed them. Rin must've swiped one.

Leading Rin down the hallway to her room, Kagome watched as the young hanyou took in her surroundings. Her room was completely purple, and Rin looked as pleased as punch. Kagome hoped that she hadn't gone over the top, but she had wanted Rin to feel as comfortable in her new home as she had in the last. Rin had been good at adapting to new changes over these past months, and Kagome was thankful this streak seemed to be lasting.

Together, they unpacked Rin's suitcases and then returned to the kitchen. Once they arrived, Kagome found Sesshomaru waiting for them. He was leaning against the table with his arms crossed, watching Kagome as intently as she was watching him.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome nudged Rin forward and said, "Hello Sesshomaru-sama. This is my sister, Rin. Rin, this is Sesshomaru-sama, my husband."

Rin took a graceful bow and straightened, trying to act like Kagome. Sesshomaru remained silent and when Kagome began to fidget under his stare, Rin mimicked the action. When it became apparent to Rin that Kagome would continue to act so unlike Kagome, Rin dared a glance at the great demon lord. His golden eyes met hers, and she observed him with keen interest.

Sesshomaru turned to Kagome, "I was under the impression she was only four years of age."

Kagome nodded, and offered an explanation for why Rin looked like a six year old instead of a four year old. "Hanyous grow differently depending on their parentage. Rin's father was of the dark inu-clan, that's why she has dark hair. The hanyous of the dark inu line have always grown fast as children, but begin to grow slowly once they reach puberty. The doctor estimates Rin will start puberty in three years, and then reach full maturity in twenty years. After that, she should live for a few thousand years."

Kagome didn't add that she'd be a middle aged woman by the time Rin looked like she was twenty, and that she probably wouldn't see Rin have her own children, or mate someone, for that matter. Rin's life would start as Kagome's would end, and the sooner Kagome accepted that, the better. Now, at least, Rin would have Sesshomaru. He would live after Kagome died, and he could take care of Rin when she needed help. Kagome didn't want to admit how jealous she was of him for that.

Just as Kagome realized she'd been lost in her thoughts while staring at Sesshomaru, Rin decided she'd had enough of the silence. Performing the flourishing curtsy she had learned in ballet class a long time ago, Rin announced in her most mature voice, "I think it is time for tea."

Kagome rolled her eyes and said, "Oh you do, do you? Well I think, mademoiselle, that you'd better sit down in that chair over there and let me decide when you can get your tea. I know you took one of the meringues already."

Rin's eyes widened, "No! I didn't! I promise, Kagome, I didn't take one! So please, pretty please can I have one?"

Kagome frowned as she found three cups and began to pour the tea into them. Rin wouldn't lie to her, especially not over meringues. "Maybe I counted them wrong…"

"I ate one," Sesshomaru stated.

Kagome twirled around with the cups of tea, but couldn't contain her surprise from gracing her features. Bewildered, because _Sesshomaru_ had taken a _meringue_ without permission? Intrigued, because what made him want one? And pleased, because he seemed to be warming up to her.

Focus, Kagome, she chided herself and brought the plate of goodies to the table. She only had an hour before work, and she wanted Sesshomaru to have a good first impression of Rin. And not that Rin couldn't be trusted to make a good first impression, but because she was a child. Children like Rin were loud and spirited, charming but not in the way an adult was charming. And Sesshomaru didn't seem to be the child-loving type. She simply couldn't take any risks.

Sitting down, Kagome took a sip of her tea. Before she could start a comfortable conversation, Rin blurted, "Sesshomaru-sama, it isn't nice to take things without permission. Kagome was worried about the cookies."

Kagome's eyes widened and she quickly tried to cover up from Rin. "No, sweetie, it's okay. Sesshomaru can eat as many as he wants. And they're _meringues_, not cookies."

Rin crossed her arms. Kagome rubbed her lips together and tried to assess the damage Rin had created with Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru frowned, displeased with his wife. He couldn't imagine why she had suddenly gone back to playing the meek, eager-to-please formal woman, but he didn't like it.

* * *

Woah, Meringues? Sesshomaru ate a meringue? What is the world coming to?! (if you don't know what a meringue is, it's egg whites beat together and then baked. They're really yummy, but be careful! They aren't that good for your pretty figure!)

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please RxR! ~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	14. Transforming Relationships

After tea time had ended, Kagome had set off for work, leaving Jaken with strict instructions on babysitting Rin. Jaken was to be watching her at all moments, he must find different ways to entertain her, and he could not take any breaks. Naturally, though, Rin found a way to weasel her way out of his over-bearing clutches, and escape.

Around two Sesshomaru noticed a small aura approaching his room. The little girl, who was the miniature version of her sister, waited outside his door. Sesshomaru paused from working on his papers and waited for the little girl to peek her head in.

Sesshomaru had experience with children, mostly because he had lived a thousand years, and not because he liked playing with them. In his experience, the children were always very curious of him. Curiosity brought them to sneak a look at him, but instincts made them look away. They were nearly the same as adults, except with more innocence, when they were dealing with him. Most children were brave enough to dare a glance, but the same could not be said for all of their older counterparts.

All, except his wife. His wife, who had begun feel comfortable around him, and had even started to joke with him. She was the first human that had constant contact with him and instead of shying away from him more and more after each visit, she was drawn to him. And he found this interested him. However today, when she had gone and reversed all the progress they had made, he was disappointed with her. The Great Demon Lord Sesshomaru did not worry for anything, but he supposed that if he did, he would worry she was going to become like every other pathetic human in the world who was too afraid to look him in the eyes.

"Hello Sesshomaru-sama," the little girl entered Sesshomaru's room and interrupted his thoughts.

He glanced at her and watched her stumble while holding a tray with two cups of tea on it. She took a wobbly bow, and then straightened politely. She looked so similar to her sister it was uncanny, except her sister had more grace and she had easier smiles.

Rin slowly approached Sesshomaru's desk and placed one cup of tea on it. Giving him a large grin, she said, "Kagome told me that you guys drink tea here in the afternoon. I brought you some today since Kagome is at work!"

Sesshomaru didn't remind her that they had already had tea today, all together.

Rin smiled and continued, "Kagome says that I've gotta be quiet around you, because you have super hearing like me. But I think if I give you tea like this, just like how Kagome does it, you will let me talk, right?"

Her eyes sparkled and Sesshomaru didn't bother telling the little girl to leave him to his work. Maybe it was because she was raised by her sister, but she acted just like Kagome. And Sesshomaru found he was pleased to see this girl looking him straight in the eye, and not backing down, just like her sister.

Rin leaned on the desk and twirled a finger in her hair. "I'll tell you a secret, so we can be friends. I'm not allowed to make tea unless Kagome is with me, so I poured the left over tea into the cups. It tastes just like Kagome's tea 'cause it _is_ her tea!"

Rin giggled as Sesshomaru took a sip. The tea was cold, and left a bitter after taste in his mouth, but it did taste just like Kagome's tea.

After a couple more sips, Sesshomaru turned his attention back to his papers. Rin started to chat, but he ignored her for a moment while he worked on a particularly troublesome problem. All of the sudden, Rin knocked on his desk and folded her arms, angry.

"Sesshomaru-sama, you've got to be polite. I'm being polite, and talking to you, so you must be polite and look at me when I talk to you. Kagome says you always have to look people in the eyes when they talk to you or else you're being rude." She grinned and reached over to pat his hand. "But don't worry, I will forgive you."

Sesshomaru cleared his throat. He knew children were very physical beings, but in all of his years, he could not remember touching one, and especially having one touch him willingly. He almost couldn't hold back a faint smile, because he knew someone else who liked to pat his hands.

"Would you like to know something, Rin?" Sesshomaru asked evenly, deciding to continue this conversation with the little girl. She nodded giddily, and he went on, "When Kagome brings me tea, she sits on that couch to drink her tea."

Rin's smile broke and she turned to look at the couch. "But that's so far away!"

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow.

"Kagome says you guys got married," Rin turned and told him, "but I don't believe her. Kagome doesn't lie to me, but something doesn't feel right here."

Rin pointed to her chest. _Her youki doesn't sense a mating_, Sesshomaru deduced, _so she knows there is incongruence. Intelligent, for her age._

"Your sister and I are married, Rin."

"I know," Rin sighed, "if only I weren't sick! I wanted to see Kagome's white dress."

Sesshomaru stilled for a moment, and thought back a week and a half ago. Kagome had been very angry during their wedding, and he had never bothered to find out why. He touched his lip, in though, and remembered how she had bit him. Rin wouldn't have wanted to see that.

"I think, Rin," Sesshomaru checked his watch and stood up from his chair. "You probably should return to Jaken now. I have a meeting to attend, so I cannot talk with you any longer."

Rin grinned and whispered, "How did you know I escaped Jaken?"

He motioned towards the door. The little girl collected the cups and bowed once more. "I'll see you soon, Sesshomaru-sama!"

* * *

Kagome sighed as she closed the door to Rin's room. She hadn't had a single spare moment to herself for the whole day, from running around with Rin and then work. After a few bed time stories and a couple goodnight kisses, Rin had gone to bed and Kagome was exhausted.

Turning into Sesshomaru's room, Kagome slumped into the couch against the wall. "Just let me sit here for a few minutes, please." Kagome mumbled to Sesshomaru who was relaxing in his chair and reading a book.

They sat together for a moment of comfortable silence until Kagome worked up the courage to ask Sesshomaru what he thought of Rin.

A faint smile graced his lips when he replied. "She is charming for a girl her age. I must confess, I was pleasantly surprised when I met her."

Kagome couldn't contain her shock. "What? You _like _Rin? But you don't like anyone!"

Sesshomaru said nothing but mused over the fact that his little wife seemed to be acting like herself again. He was thoroughly pleased.

Kagome could have sung. Laughing lightly, she covered her face and tried to hide her eyes, which were watering from relief. "Oh, Kami… Oh Kami, I can't believe it. But of course you would like Rin… she's so adorable. Not even the ice-hearted demon lord can resist my baby sister's charms! I don't know why I even worried!"

Sesshomaru frowned over the ice-hearted comment. "She is as uncouth as you. After you had left for work, she brought me the left over tea."

Kagome whipped forward and sat on the edge of her seat, switching emotions rapidly. "She what?! That little…" Refocusing her attention on him, she asked as sweetly as she could, "Did you mind?"

"I was working while she brought me the tea. And then she scolded me." Sesshomaru smirked when his wife covered her face again, trying to hide her dread. He found it amusing to watch her agonize over his meeting with Rin.

Getting up from his chair, he strode over to her. She stood up and watched him. "I can't believe her… she's always been willful, I'm sorry she bothered you."

Bringing a clawed hand up to her cheek, he caressed the side of her face, intrigued by her soft skin. "She acts a lot like you."

Kagome leaned into his palm, loving the way his hand felt. A mix of emotions stirred inside of her, but she chose to ignore the confusion for a moment. The light look he had in his eyes almost made Kagome feel like she was in love with him, and he loved her. When his words registered, she raised an eyebrow. "Is that a compliment?"

"That would depend on your definition of a compliment," he said softly.

"Oh," she bushed her fingers against his cheek, and dared a soft touch against his markings. "Well, thank you."

"I never said it was," a smug grin flickered across his face. "If I were complimenting a woman, I would say something like… Your eyes remind of the ocean during a storm. Wild, yet beautiful at the same time."

She chuckled, dizzy with contentment. "That's quite the line. Where'd you find it?"

"You don't like it? I should sue _Romance for Dummies_; I was assured it would work for everyone, even cold hearted youkai such as myself," he murmured. She smiled, and again was astonished by his quirky sense of humor. She hadn't ever imagined, in her wildest dreams that Sesshomaru could make a joke.

After a couple silent minutes, Kagome found herself coming back to her senses. It was late, and they were both a bit affected by the hour. She closed her eyes and shifted back from him slightly, torn between her desire and her logic. She couldn't be entranced by him and do something that would change their relationship. They were just beginning to be friends, and she wanted to stay friends. Anything more would be too risky, and though she didn't want to admit it, she knew it nonetheless.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Kagome breathed as he brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, "would you like to go to the shrine festival with me? I was going to bring Rin…"

He touched her cheek once more and ushered her out of the room. "I will think about it," he told her with a faint smile.

* * *

Please enjoy the chapter. I hope you liked Rin, because I have this strong picture of her in my mind, that's really sweet and cute, but very perceptive. I keep on thinking that she's a miniature Kagome, but she doesn't build walls around her heart. She's charming, and I love her... So yeah, hope you enjoyed! ~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	15. Festival Flirtations

He had waited.

He had been patient with the idea, and found it to be an intelligent move. It had been a very long time since he had been interested in anyone, and he had decided he wouldn't let her slip out of his hands. She had been placed into the perfect situation for him, optimal for all parties involved.

Sesshomaru had decided he would take a lover.

Not just any lover, because he had specific criteria for every person he was involved with. They had to interest him, and they had to fit whatever current situation he was in. Usually that would mean they would have to be high class and well bred, but in this case, things were a bit different. He would have to stay faithful to his wife, as he had previously promised. Luckily for Sesshomaru, his wife was a perfect match to all the criteria.

She was not his usual type; she had more freewill than he preferred. However, she did spark his interest, for some unknown reason. And when she flashed him a smile, Sesshomaru suddenly found himself slightly weaker to his more primal nature. So he would have her for a lover.

Sesshomaru had his idea carefully planned out in his head. He would never even have to breathe a word about their relationship, because it would be clear to her. They would be lovers, but they would not be in love. All of the previous rules still applied: he would not take her as a mate, and they would not have children together, but they would have sex. Sesshomaru figured he could get fifteen to twenty good years out of a proposition like this, and then they would return to the platonic relationship they had now.

Sesshomaru began to prepare for the festival he would be attending with her, and thought over his idea once more. There was no way it could go wrong. She would not dare to love him, and he didn't need to worry about love. Neither would expect more out of the relationship, and both would be satisfied when it ended. Nothing could go wrong.

* * *

"Hey Sango, where are you?" Kagome shouted into her cell phone as she jostled her way through the crowd. Rin was carefully treading behind her and holding her hand, and Sesshomaru stood on her other side. The festival had only started a half hour ago, and already the shine grounds were packed.

"I'm waiting at the dango booth. Can you see me?"

Kagome huffed a mumbled retort about how she couldn't see anyone she knew. "Rin, don't let go of my hand!" She said over her shoulder to the little girl who was trailing behind her, watching everything with awe.

The shrine grounds had been decorated with booths of all kinds, ranging from decorations, to games, to food. The booths shone with light, and filled the area with a peaceful yet busy atmosphere, and complimented starry night sky. The festival had a soft had a soft glow that attracted everyone who saw it, with the Japanese lanterns hanging from wires and merry people dressed in yukatas, playing games and enjoying themselves. The fireworks completed the night, like little flowers blooming in the sky, singing with their triumphant roars.

"Oh, wait! Kagome, I can hear Sango!" Rin pulled on Kagome's hand, and pointed to the right.

Kagome shuffled around in the tightly packed crowd and looked at Sesshomaru for confirmation. He nodded, and she turned, "Well that's just fantastic. She's on the other side!"

After a few more haggard minutes, Kagome breathed a sigh of relief as she caught a glimpse of her best friend. Sango and Miroku were leaning against a food booth in a relatively less-packed area.

"Hey, guys," Kagome grunted as she shoved her way through the last part of the crowd and reached them. Sesshomaru appeared behind her quickly with a poised grace that made her jealous.

"Would you like one?" Sango asked after her friend caught her breath. Rin made a grab for one of Sango's offered dangos.

"Thanks," Kagome smiled, "it was hard enough to get out of the house with these two, but then the crowd…"

She made a swooping hand movement to display how large the crowd was, and grabbed the other dango strip from Sango.

Sesshomaru watched her pop a dango into her mouth and grin. After a moment of savoring the treat, she slid another off the stick they were fashioned on and asked if he wanted one.

"No, I do not eat sweets."

"_Whatever_ you say, Sesshomaru," she winked and added, "-sama."

He strode over to her, "I suppose it is a difference in taste, Mrs. Taisho. I do not like sweets, but you do."

"You do know," she crept closer to him and stretched onto her tip toes to whisper in his ear, "you can call me Kagome, Sesshomaru."

"And did you know," he leaned in a watched her smile grow increasingly more sweet, "you keep on forgetting the proper title of respect for my name?"

She laughed lightly and her breath smelled sweet. "I was hoping we could call each other by name."

"Well, then, you should've asked." He murmured and leaned in closer to her face. Her blue eyes looked stormy, wild and beautiful. His breath tickled her nose, and Kagome found she could hardly wait any longer. When his lips touched hers, she inclined her head and pressed hers onto his. His lips were soft and cool, a warm welcome to the heat of the summer.

Each kiss lingered a bit longer than the last. His lips molded to hers and moved, parting her lips so that they could move and taste and touch some more. She responded with fervor, and Sesshomaru deepened their kiss. Kagome felt like she was a teenager again, giddy and passionate in everything she did.

They kissed for a few moments before coming up for air, and then kissed some more. Soon, Kagome could hardly remember where she was, much less who she was. Untangling her hands from his hair, she moved them onto his chest and pushed back slightly.

"I think we'd better go back," she murmured against his lips.

Sesshomaru frowned and parted from her, but remained where he was, arm against the booth, cornering her between him and the wall. They had moved to behind the booth into a quiet part of the festival for privacy, but Sesshomaru doubted that she remembered that. She looked like she had just been kissed silly, and he couldn't imagine why she'd suddenly stopped.

"I definitely don't want to stop," she brushed her lips against his, "but we've been gone for a bit. I don't want anyone to worry."

"Naturally," he replied and led her back to the crowd. Her friends had remained where they were, eating at the dango booth and laughing happily.

Before they reached the others, Kagome tugged on the sleeve of his summer yukata.

"Thank you," she whispered as she stole one last kiss and then passed through the crowds to meet her friends.

* * *

Sango watched Kagome and Sesshomaru sneak away from the group and move behind the booths for privacy while they kissed. She had seen their flirtations and then their kiss. And Sango could see the desire they had for each other.

Sango needed to talk to Kagome, and soon. She could tell what was going on, and she knew what it spelled. Trouble.

* * *

Dango are japanese sweets, in case anyone was wondering. Hope you liked it, please RxR! ~Gracie

All characters belong to rumiko Takahashi


	16. A Loyal Warning

A/N: Hi, all! Gracie here. I'd like to quickly apologize for my irregular updating schedule-I don't really have one at this rate. My school just started again and I'm swamped with work. So... updates will happen, but they won't be anything like every day or something amazing like that. I'm going to try for every other day, or every three days but... no guarantees. But don't worry-I'm defiantly going to continue this. Happy reading and have a nice day! ~Gracie

* * *

Sango pulled up in front of Sesshomaru's impressive mansion. His house was grand, with a large front door and elegant windows adorning the massive tan building. Sango would have been intimidated, had she not known it was also the home of her best friend, Kagome.

Her mission today was to deliver cookies to Rin, because she had promised the little girl sweets at the festival last night. However, Sango had bigger ambitions in mind. Approaching the door, she rang the bell and listened to the sweet chimes.

The annoying imp-youkai named Jaken opened the door. "What is your business here, ningen?"

Sango frowned, "I'm here with a delivery. That'll be five bucks."

"Lord Sesshomaru-sama did not order anything!" Jaken squawked, offended and made a move to close the door.

"That's ooookay," Kagome rushed up behind him and greeted Sango at the door. "I made the order, Jaken-san."

Jaken made an incoherent noise in the back of his throat and walked away. Before Kagome could invite Sango in, Rin appeared in the door way, excited.

"So? Did ya bring the cookies? Oh, Sango, you're the best!" Rin squealed when Sango held out the plate of sweets.

"Wait, Rin," Kagome hushed the excited girl. "Where are your manners?"

"Oh, sorry," Rin mumbled and bowed. "Please come in, Sango-san."

Sango laughed and patted the top of Rin's head. "If you insist, Rin-chan."

Rin danced around Kagome, took the plate of cookies from Sango, and sprinted into the kitchen, giggling. "Thanks!"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "She is a piece of work. But I love her all the same."

Sango smiled, her mind on other things. She needed to find a way to talk to Kagome in private… which would be hard with all of the youkai prowling around the house. Just as Sango thought of an idea, a buzzer in the kitchen went off.

"Oh, drat!" Kagome looked at Sango and observed her for a moment. Nodding to herself, she turned to the kitchen. "Sesshomaru?"

He appeared in the doorway, raising an eyebrow.

"Could you get the lasagna out of the oven for me? Sango has to talk to me about something. Dinner will be served in a couple minutes."

Kagome waited with baited breath to see if he would help her out. She knew he wouldn't follow a command, but he might be willing to accept a request. In her heart, Kagome found herself measuring his actions, and translating them into how much he cared for her. Would he let her call him by first name only? Would he perform a small task for her? She couldn't wait to find out.

Sesshomaru watched her in silence. He knew what she was playing at—she wanted to turn him into one of those modern husbands, who did the dishes and the laundry. However his mind protested to the idea of performing such a menial task for her, he found himself nodding slightly, and moving towards the kitchen. Just because he wanted to see her face lit up with a smile as they sat down to dinner.

Pushing all his thoughts aside, he entered the kitchen, leaving his wife and her friend in the main hall.

Kagome watched Sesshomaru leave to the kitchen with a whole hearted smile on her face. Something inside her heart was changing, she could feel it. And she loved it.

Sango cleared her throat. "Ah, Kagome?"

With her gaze lingering where Sesshomaru had just been, Kagome replied. "Yes?"

"Well, I would like to talk to you. Though, I'm not sure how you knew."

Kagome laughed. "You had that look on your face. It just… shows, when you want to lecture someone about their life choices. So what's my confrontation today?"

"I was wondering if we could go for a drive. You know, leave the house."

Kagome focused her full attention on Sango. "Is it really that important?"

Sango nearly had a change of mind when she saw Kagome's pained expression. And that, Sango determined, was exactly why she needed to talk to Kagome. She needed to warn her best friend.

"Yes, it really is."

Kagome sighed. "Okay, give me a minute. I'll go tell them dinner has been delayed, and to keep the food warm. I'll meet you at your car."

Sango fished her keys out of her purse and turned to open the door. Over her shoulder, Kagome turned and said, "Oh, but Sango? This is going to be quick, okay? I want to eat dinner with my family."

* * *

Sango took a right off of Kagome's street, and gathered enough confidence to talk to her friend. She knew Kagome wouldn't be happy with what she heard, but it was a friend's job to look of for her.

"Be careful."

Kagome turned and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Be careful with what?"

Sango glanced at her friend, and then continued to watch the road. "With Sesshomaru."

"Sango…" Kagome sighed, "you're making no sense. Why do I have to be careful with him?"

Sango bit her lip, trying to think of the best way to phrase her next reply. "Don't fall in love with him."

Silence ensued, as a stunned Kagome sat, regarding her friend with her mouth agape. "Excuse me? I'm not in love with him!"

"I saw you kiss."

"Sango!" Kagome blushed furiously. "That was private!"

"In the middle of a festival? Yeah, sure. I'd be surprised if_ Rin_ didn't see you two locking lips. You guys were as much a spectacle as the fireworks!"

"Oh, be quiet," Kagome waved a hand in the air, dismissing her friend. "You and Miroku should be ashamed of yourselves, with how much PDA the world has seen from you. I expected it of Miroku, but you… I always thought of you as a puritan, Sango."

"Yeah, yeah, but that's different." It was Sango's turn to blush lightly. "We're married."

"Sesshomaru and I are too, Sango."

Both women quieted, and Sango resumed her focus on the road. "It's different, Kagome. And that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Do you remember what your goals were when you first married him?"

Kagome frowned. She had only gotten married a month ago, but with all of the changes in her life, it seemed like decades ago. Back when she had married Sesshomaru, she had thought her life would be like a living hell. With an ice-hearted husband, she had assumed she would live her life alone. So, she had decided that she would try to be friends with him, but still keep him at a comfortable distance. She didn't want to be attached to him…

Sango's idea dawned on Kagome. In a quiet whisper, Kagome hesitantly asked, "You think I'm getting too close to Sesshomaru?"

Sango nodded. "You told me you didn't want to even talk to him during your marriage, when we arrived at the church. I accepted that, because I wanted you to do what you thought was best. Then, you told me you wanted to be friends with him. So, okay, that made sense to me too. But this… is getting to be too complicated now."

"I'm not falling in love with him. I enjoy his presence, and I think he enjoys mine. That's all."

"Kagome," Sango drawled, "it's not going to work. Think this through, please! I don't want to watch you suffer when things turn sour."

Sighing, Sango waited to continue. "What do you think is going to happen? He's an emotionless Taiyoukai, so he's not going to fall in love with you. You're only going to hurt yourself."

"He's not emotionless. You don't know him very well, so please don't act like you understand our relationship." Kagome shot a defensive glare at her friend.

"You're already kissing him, Kagome. At this rate, you're going to be taking… bigger steps into the romance world soon. Even if you don't think so, he might, so…" Sango tried to dance around the subject as directly as she could.

Kagome smirked. She wasn't sure how Sango could be married to Miroku, and still act like a nun, but somehow, Sango made t possible. One would think the ideas would cancel each other out. "I don't know what you're talking about, Sango dear. I haven't the slightest clue."

"Oh shut up," Sango fumed, and pulled the car over. "I'm just going to say it! Don't have sex with Sesshomaru!"

"I'm not going to have sex with him! What the heck?!"

"Yes you are! I know, I can tell!"

"No you can't!" Kagome shouted, angry and embarrassed. "And besides, I never said I was going to do anything with him!"

"You didn't have to! Your _eyes_ told me!"

Kagome bit back a retort, and tried to remain mature. The whole conversation was beginning to resemble an adult version of the fights they'd have back in elementary school. Now, though, they were talking about Kagome's love life, instead of the best TV show on channel thirty three.

After a quiet moment, Kagome turned to Sango. "Okay, I'll hear you out. Why shouldn't I become romantically involved with Sesshomaru?"

Sango took a deep breath, only to be cut off by Kagome. "But don't think you're telling me anything new! I know it's not smart to get involved with him. But sometimes, I just can't help myself… He's very charming, actually. And I think he might even have a sense of humor…"

"Just put the brakes on this relationship, okay? You don't want to start something complicated, and then end it. You guys are going to have to stay married for a long time, and you don't want it to be a bitter or awkward marriage. And besides, he's a lot more experienced than you."

Kagome straightened, and pretended to be offended. "Experienced in what? I am very—"

"You're a virgin, Kagome." Sango said bluntly. "And when it comes to love, studies show virgins are absolutely clueless."

Throwing her friend an irritated glance, Kagome could only say, "That's not true."

Sango shrugged. "Maybe, but you are pretty clueless. He might just be after you to have a sex friend. You are too trusting."

They turned back onto Kagome's street, and both women sighed simultaneously. It was painfully clear to both women that Kagome was in over her head, and even Sango, who was the mastermind behind all of their plans, couldn't fish her out of this situation. And, Kagome herself might not _want_ to be removed from her situation.

As Kagome exited the car, Sango patted her friend's arm. "I'm sorry I got frustrated. I just want you to be happy, so I thought I should warn you. I didn't want to yell at you."

Kagome smiled. "I know. I don't deserve such a good friend. Thank you, and I'm sorry I got mad too."

The women separated, both leaving calm and refreshed. They didn't know what would happen for Kagome, but they knew they would stay friends through it all. Kagome would always have Sango to watch her back, because that's what friends were for.

* * *

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	17. Movie Night

The maid at the Taisho house had gone on a week-long vacation, and on the Saturday before she would return, Kagome found the refrigerator severely lacking. She had taken to cooking meals for the family every night, and she didn't want to get take out on this particularly whimsical Saturday. She enjoyed cooking for her new family; Sesshomaru always came to dinner, and though he didn't say much, he always told her that he enjoyed the food.

"Rin?" Kagome called for the little girl and a moment later, she appeared.

"I think it's high time we get some groceries. We don't need a maid to do it for us!" Crouching down so she was eye level with Rin, Kagome smiled. "So? What do you say? Want to go shopping with me?"

Rin's smiled a toothy grin and giggled. "You bet! I can't wait!"

"Okay then, get in the car!" Kagome patted the hanyou out the door and grabbed her eyes. Sesshomaru wouldn't be back from his meeting for three more hours, which would give her plenty time to make dinner. _And_, Kagome thought with delight, _tonight smells like a movie night_._ I'll have to let Rin choose the movie, but I think Sesshomaru will be up for it._

When they arrived at the local shopping center, Kagome filled Rin in on all the details. Rin was used to grocery shopping, but nothing like this. This was a high-class center near their mansion where all the maids for the rich bought food.

"We look just like regular people, so it won't matter, but I want you to be on your best behavior. Can you do that?"

Rin nodded, growing solemn. "I'll be very sweet, I promise."

Kagome quickly snapped into action, recognizing the look that was glazed over Rin's face. They used to go grocery shopping together to find the best deals, and Kagome had always told Rin the exact thing she had just said. "And then, since you will be so good, I'll let you get a treat! Maybe a tofu bar, or…" Kagome tapped a foot, pretending to be deep in thought, "ice cream?"

Rin's eyes widened with excitement, and Kagome could see the little girl had stopped worrying. Soon, Kagome hoped, Rin would stop worrying about their previous problems all together. That girl was too perceptive for her own good.

"Oh thank you, thank you! I know exactly what I'm going to get!"

"But," Kagome held out her hand and once Rin had taken it, they walked into the store, "this is the only time for a little while. We can't have you get too spoiled, now can we?"

"No," Rin giggled, "I'm super sweet! Not spoiled at all! Promise!"

Together, they browsed the isles and discussed dinner for the week. Kagome knew Sesshomaru preferred Asian, but he also liked Mexican food, and Rin loved Italian. Somehow, Kagome worked out a schedule that would accommodate all of their tastes, including her own tastes, which were very versatile.

"Now, Rin, for tonight's stir fry, what type of meat would you like? Sometimes chicken is good, but beef…" Kagome trailed off when she felt Kikyo's soul twitch.

Trying to remain as calm as possible, Kagome grasped Rin's hand tighter and turned, observing all of her surroundings. When Kikyo's soul fluttered once more, Kagome felt like she had a butterfly caught in her throat. The sensation of a soul trembling against hers felt emotionally painful, as if she was the one who felt the despair, not Kikyo.

Kagome's palm began to sweat when she couldn't find something in her surroundings that would've affected Kikyo. A scared thought crept into Kagome's mind, and she worried that Kikyo would speak to her. She took a deep breath and tried to shake off her fear. If Kikyo did talk to her, what would she say was going to happen? _Was something going to happen to Rin?_ Kagome's heart stung with new fright when she thought of another idea. _What if something had happened to Sesshomaru?_

Taking a couple steps in one direction, Kagome stumbled through the super market, scanning the isles for something. Anything.

Kikyo's soul beat against hers. Flustered, Kagome pushed Rin behind her, as if to shield her from the unknown force, and turned down the next isle. Whatever had set Kikyo's soul off was bound to be harmful, and Kagome tried to summon her weak miko powers in an attempt to be prepared.

She wasn't prepared for the sight she saw. In a relieved sigh, Kagome steadied herself against a shelf and tried to regain her balance, because she felt weak at the knees.

Inuyasha was crouching next to a shelf that held cans of peas, examining two different brands, five meters from Kagome. He had a pensive look on his face, eyes unfocused on the cans he held in his hands. Kagome took a couple more deep breaths before her hammering heart had calmed down, and then examined him. He looked older than when he had been with Kikyo, but no older than thirty. His face looked weary, though, as if his life had lost the luster it had contained when he had been with Kikyo.

Kagome found herself walking over to him. Maybe it was her curiosity, or Kikyo's spirit that moved her over there, either way she found herself standing before him. Sniffing the air, Inuyasha turned to look at her, with a confused look on his face.

"Hello," Kagome held out her hand as he stood up. Inuyasha looked thoughtful and worn out, but accepted her hand.

"Hey," he grumbled and released her hand.

"I don't know if you remember me, but I'm your brother's—"

"Yeah, I know," he said gruffly and shifted his weight. "You're his wife. My sister in law."

Kagome smiled as kindly as she could. "This is Rin, my baby sister." She presented Rin to him, and Rin bowed politely.

"Hi," he mumbled, clearly uncomfortable and less than happy to be interrupted from his thoughts.

"We didn't really get a chance to speak at the wedding, but I'd like to see you more, Inuyasha-kun." Kagome desperately wanted to know more about Inuyasha. She wasn't interested in him the way she was interested in Sesshomaru, but he had been the hero of her childhood. He was Kikyo's soul mate, someone she had heard stories about for her whole life, and she needed to know what had happened to him after Kikyo had died. Kikyo needed to know, too.

"So we were wondering," Kagome found herself asking, "if you'd like to join us for dinner? We're going to have a movie night."

Rin giggled with excitement, and clasped her hands over her mouth. "Really?" She whispered and Kagome nodded.

Inuyasha scratched the back of his neck and set one of the cans of peas he was holding on the shelf. "I don't think so… I don't really get along with that bast—my half-brother."

"No, please. I insist," Kagome smiled, and tried not to let him see how intrigued she was by him. She couldn't let this opportunity pass up. "We should have a family get together. Sesshomaru and you should catch up, anyways."

Inuyasha grumbled but said nothing. Desperately searching her mind, Kagome tried to think of a way to convince him. Wasn't there something Kikyo had always done? "We will be having stir fry. Think of it as a free meal."

Kagome watched with joy as Inuyasha's ears perked up. "Fine," he grumbled, "But you have to promise Sesshomaru won't bring out the swords. I'm not sure I could fight him tonight."

"Sure," Kagome grinned and led their group to the register. _Tonight's going to be like a family reunion. _

* * *

Kagome watched Inuyasha and Rin play a game of Uno as she finished cooking the meat for their stir fry. They had been home for nearly an hour, and after deciding what movie to watch, Inuyahsa had surprisingly agreed to play with Rin. Kagome was pleased to see a gentler side of him with Rin, and she noted with satisfaction how Rin had managed to weasel her way into both of the Taisho brother's hearts.

"I won!" Rin giggled and triumphantly slammed her last card on the pile of cards.

"Wow, sweetheart, go easy on him! That's the third time in a row! Some people aren't used to playing with Uno masters," Kagome laughed and added vegetables into the pot on the stove.

"Keh," Inuyasha snorted, "I was going easy on her. The little twerp wouldn't stand a chance if I was _actually_ trying."

Kagome shook her head, smiling. "You know there is such thing as having a strategy, Inuyasha. Rin has been taught Uno by the best strategist in the world."

"Oh, you taught her? Way to be modest," he grouched and flattened his hand of cards on the table.

"Well, yes," Kagome chuckled, "but Sesshomaru has begun teaching her mahjong. I wasn't kidding when I said _the best_ strategist was teaching her."

Kagome sensed Sesshomaru's aura as she added some green beans into her mix and set the wooden spoon she was holding on the counter. "Welcome home."

Sesshomaru walked in the door and the room silenced. With a controlled expression on his face, Sesshomaru turned to Kagome. "Why is he here?"

"I invited him," she wiped her hands on the apron she was wearing and mused over how she looked just like a stay at home mother. _Not that it's bad, but I'm still young. I have to get a better job, and soon._

Sesshomaru approached her and looked her in the eyes, demanding her full attention. "Why?"

Meeting his golden gaze, she replied sweetly. "Because he is family, and we haven't spoken for a long time."

"Hnn," Sesshomaru snarled and walked away.

"Dinner is in fifteen minutes!" Kagome called after him, pleased with how she could read his slight facial expressions. She knew that he was peeved with her, but not angry. Sesshomaru didn't hate Inuyasha the way he had in the past, but he had been surprised by his presence. And above all, Kagome knew one thing. He would come to dinner.

* * *

Sitting down to dinner was a bit uncomfortable for the group, but Kagome tried to fix that. Passing around her delicious food, she asked everyone how their day had been and if they liked the dinner. Sesshomaru replied with few words, Inuyasha answered her hesitantly, but Rin gave her the desired result. Babbling on, the adults listened to Rin's extraordinary adventure in the supermarket.

"And then, we moved to the ice cream section. Kagome said I could get ice cream because I've been a good girl for a long time, so of course I chose purple! Then we got some veggies and even though I don't like, I had to promise to eat them. Then we were gonna get some chicken, but Kagome started acting odd!"

"And," Kagome cut her off, so she couldn't fill them in on how weird she had been acting. Rin didn't know about Kikyo, and probably never would, but Sesshomaru would be suspicious if he heard the whole story. "We met Inuyasha after that! It was so surprising to see you there, Inuyasha."

"Yeah," he mumbled, with his mind on other things.

"Rin, sweetie," Kagome focused her attention on the little girl, "would you go start the movie? I think we're almost finished with dinner."

"Okay!" Rin jumped out of her seat and started towards the family room. Changing her mind for a moment, she returned to the table to take Inuyasha with her. "Let's go, Inu!"

Kagome looked at Sesshomaru across the table. He was still in his suit, but had a casual atmosphere around him, and Kagome met his gaze. They watched each other for a moment before Sesshomaru broke the silence.

"I haven't spoken to him for years. You barely know him. Why the sudden interest?"

Acting on an impulse, Kagome reached out and touched his hand on the table. It was warm yet cool, something only Sesshomaru could pull off. "He's your brother, Sesshomaru. And he looks so… weary. Don't you wonder what happened to him?"

Flipping their hands, Sesshomaru captured hers and stroked her palm. "I know what happened."

Kagome felt Kikyo's soul, which had been restless in her for the whole night, flutter again. Kikyo needed to know how Inuyasha had lived after the final battle with Naraku. "Can you tell me?"

Sesshomaru paused in tracing patterns on her hand. "No."

Kagome's eyes flashed with hurt and anger. "Why not?"

"It is complicated."

"I'm smart."

He raised an eyebrow. "I know."

Rubbing her lips together, she grumbled at him. "Then why not?"

He gave her hand one last touch and then slid his under the table. "Kagome, do not press the issue. It is of none of your concern."

Sighing in temporary defeat, Kagome changed the topic. "How was your meeting?"

Sesshomaru stood and strode to the room where Inuyasha and Rin were setting up the movie. "I will talk to you about it later."

_Great,_ Kagome grumbled as she followed him, _apparently everything is a touchy topic for him. Overly sensitive dog._

"Ooh, Mulan. A classic," Kagome commented happily as she saw the familiar female warrior appear on the screen.

Sitting down next to Sesshomaru, she silently leaned into his chest and settled down for a pleasant movie night.

* * *

After Rin had gone to bed, the adults gathered in the entrance hall to see Inuyasha off. Kagome was pleased with how the night had passed; though they hadn't spoken about the things she wanted to know, they had spoken. The brothers weren't friendly with each other, but it was clear to Kagome they didn't hate each other either. The boys were merely uncomfortable together.

"It was great to see you, Inuyasha," Kagome smiled.

"Yeah," Inuyasha mumbled an agreement. Turning to his brother, he nodded a goodbye.

Sesshomaru nodded to him, and Kagome watched as their eyes met. They shared a mysterious look, and Sesshomaru nodded once more. Biting her tongue, Kagome suppressed her curiosity._ Obviously if they had wanted me to know, they would be talking out loud right now._ The night was late and Inuyasha was leaving on nearly amicable terms, so she couldn't ask for anything more.

Inuyasha walked out the door smoothly, without another word. Kagome bid a goodbye and Sesshomaru turned to resume work in his rooms. Their nonchalant nature didn't fool Kagome, though. Something was going on, but it was meant to stay a secret. And that was all the more reason for Kagome to be determined to find out.

* * *

So, how'd you like that chapter? It's Inuyasha's first real appearance! Yay, exciting! Oh and yes, I do think Uno requires strategy. My family has always been into Uno, and I'm one of the best players,if I do say so myself. Here's my best Uno idea:hold onto your wild cards. Save them until the end and them BAM! You've won! (Okay, yeah, that's a really common technique, but great minds think alike, right?) Well anyways, Happy reading. Please RxR ~Gracie

All Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi


	18. News Over a Cold Cup of Coffee

Kagome was having a wonderful morning. Despite Kikyo's particularly sensitive soul the day before, she had slept well. Her morning had started out with a hot bath and a serious hair and body care session following. And she just felt exuberant.

Today was Rin's first day back to her preschool, which left Kagome with lots of spare time. Not that she was complaining, because in just one morning she had gotten more done than the past few weeks combined. Setting some ingredients out on the counter, Kagome decided to bake some cookies for Miroku. She was going to need to tell him sometime that she planned on getting a real job, and she figured her luscious chocolate-chip cookies might smooth over some harsh emotions.

As she pulled the baked cookies out of the oven, her mind wandering, she heard Sesshomaru enter the room. "Good morning, Sesshomaru."

"Hello," he replied calmly. After a beat, he continued, "I have something I must talk to you about."

Kagome placed the cookie sheet on the counter and wiped her brow. "What's up?"

"I wish to speak to you in a different setting," he answered her in his deep voice. Turning to meet his eyes, she wondered what he could possibly need to talk to her about. Had something happened?

"Okay, no problem," she sighed and walked over to the main hall to retrieve her jacket. "Where to?"

He led them out the door and to his car, mildly surprised by how easy it was to get her to agree. He had been expecting a fight, and for her to demand to know what he needed to tell her, right then, but she hadn't opposed him. Sesshomaru found that even though she wasn't predictable in that sense, he like how she kept him on his toes. Most humans were not so interesting.

Sesshomaru held the passenger door open for her and she slid in gracefully, thanking him. He slid in and started the car. After only a few minutes, Kagome began to fidget.

"Can we turn on some music?"

Sesshomaru glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "If you must."

She grinned and started the radio. Smooth classical ballads sung from the speakers and Kagome laughed. "It's so like you, to listen to classical music!"

He frowned and turned down a side road. "Hnn," he merely acknowledged her statement.

"Not that I don't appreciate the classical, but do you listen to anything else?"

"No."

"Have you ever tried?"

He remained silent, and did not answer her. A grin crept on her face, and she suppressed a childish giggle. _I wonder if you can teach this dog new tricks…_

"What about old music? New music?"

"You forget, I lived through the decades of your 'old music.' Everything is new compared to the music I was born listening to."

"Sure, sure," she waved her hands in the air, not bothering to hide her amusement. "I bet you didn't listen to that music then, either. How'd Mozart weasel his way into your traditional Japanese heart?"

Sesshomaru let out a quiet chuckle. "I understand his musical achievements."

"So do I, but for once, try listening to something different." Without asking for permission, Kagome leaned forward and changed the radio station. Ayumi Hamasaki's enchanting voice filled their car.

Combing a stray hair behind her ear, she watched Sesshomaru's miniscule reactions to the music. He seemed… contemplative. Kagome was pleased with his reaction. He wasn't in love with the music, but she hadn't expected him to be. What he was, though, was surprisingly open-minded. And that made all the difference.

* * *

They arrived at a secluded coffee shop on the outskirts of town. Leaving the car, Kagome looked around, suspicious of his motives. He had obviously brought her someplace public for a reason, but it wasn't popular at all. From what she could see through the dim windows of the shop, there were five, six customers at most.

The door chimed and he directed her through the door. Once in, Kagome noticed how small the coffee shop actually was. The store had no more than five tall tables and one tiny counter, and one staff member. All of the people there looked like regulars, and each one noticed them as they crossed the store to get some coffee.

They bought their drinks and took a seat at a table in the far corner. After a few quiet moments, Kagome started.

"So…" she blew on her hot cup of coffee, in a meek effort to cool it down, "what did you have to talk to me about?"

"Our marriage," He sat in cold, impersonal silence. Kagome frowned, instantly understanding why he'd brought them out to this semi-populated shop. With a few witnesses around, she wouldn't be inclined to fight with him. He'd have the upper hand, being the unemotional Taiyoukai he was, and she'd be forced to listen to him without making a disruption.

Basically, she couldn't fight back.

"What about our marriage?"

"Due to certain circumstances, I think it would be better for us to separate."

He remained quiet and watched her take in what he had said. Sesshomaru wanted to avoid telling her the details of his circumstances, but when her eyes met his, he saw blue fire.

"What do you mean? You're the one who said we'd have to stay married until I die," she took a deep breath to steady herself. "Why the sudden change?"

"The less you know, the better." He flared a bit of his youki, in a subtle attempt to warn her to back off.

She noticed his changing aura, which only served to fuel her irritation. Leaning close to him, she spoke to him in low tones. "Don't try to intimidate me, Sesshomaru. If you're going to try and kick me out, you can at least have the decency to tell me why."

He quirked an eyebrow, "Very well. However; I will only tell you what you need to know."

She rubbed her lips together, and blew out a sigh. "Fine. Have it your way." Gesturing her hands, she leaned back and said, "So tell me… what is so dangerous that we need to separate?"

He admired the quickness of her mind. Somehow, she had picked up the motives of his decision. She had miscalculated, though. He wasn't trying to detach her from him to protect her, only so that he would have an easier time while he was on the mission.

"Long ago, a skilled miko defeated a hanyou who was a threat to society. Now, he has been reincarnated, and is back for revenge. That is all."

Kagome's heart skipped a beat. Sesshomaru's tale sounded all too familiar. _Just a coincidence…_ "So you're going to eliminate him?"

He nodded.

She took a sip of her drink and tried to appear casual. "How long will it take?"

"Two months, if everything goes according to my plan. Two years, if not."

She doubted something like this would go as smoothly as he said it would. Trying to pry further, she smoothly inquired, "So this hanyou—what did you say his name was again?"

"I did not tell you his name."

"Oh." She shrunk back, feeling defeated. His message had been clear: it wasn't any of her business.

He sat back in his chair, his gold eyes observing her every move. "Hnn."

Kagome sighed, and glanced around the shop. It had a surprisingly cozy feel, with little green table cloths and plush cushions on the chairs. Keeping her tone as light as she could, she continued their conversation. "When did you find out this would be happening?"

"At my meeting yesterday night."

She stared at a painting on the wall composed of two figures dancing in the sunlight. "I think you should be the one to tell Rin. She deserves to hear this from you." In her mind, she lamented over how Sesshomaru had been bonding with the little girl. He had been bonding with her, too.

"I will not tell her about the circumstances of my departure, only that I will be leaving."

She nodded. Trying to stop her flow of questions, she decided one last question would suffice. "Where are you going?" _What if something happens to you?_

"That is confidential."

"Oh," she frowned, feeling dejected again.

The silence stretched, and Kagome twirled her cup, unsure of what to do next. A question had been tugging at her mind, and she was begging to know the answer. Gathering the last bit of her courage, she met his gaze.

"What happens to us, after you are finished?"

In his eyes, she saw a brief flicker of desire. Of curiosity. And, if she dared to say, uncertainty. Though he would never admit it, he was as unsure about their future together as she was.

"We will talk about it then. It is quite possible we would end the marriage, or live separate permanently."

Kagome tried to conceal her emotions with her utmost control. She was shocked that he felt that way. But more than anything, she was hurt. For all the moments she'd been enjoying his presence, she now wondered if the feeling hadn't been mutual.

Without speaking another word to each other, they left the store. Taking one last sad glance at the coffee shop, she threw out her cold coffee cup in a trash bin by the car. After all, the coffee was never going to be warm again, and who liked cold coffee anyways? Kagome knew how to abandon a sinking ship.

* * *

Hi, everyone! How was this chapter? I had a couple different versions... but I liked this one the best so... ta-dah! Hope you enjoy it!

Oh, and a special thanks to my reviewers. I love hearing feedback and if you liked the story, so thanks a bunch! You've brought many smiles to my face :) ~Gracie

All Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	19. Reality

Kagome went to sleep that night, restless in her heart and mind, wondering what the future would hold for them.

* * *

The next morning, Kagome woke up with a start. Something felt wrong, but she couldn't quite place it. She had gone to bed the night before with a sick stomach, worried about their impending meeting with Rin. She could envision it perfectly. Rin would be told about the separation, and it would break Kagome's heart to see the little girl's tears.

After a few minutes of mulling over the best way to tell Rin, Kagome began to hear something suspicious. It sounded like a large van, beeping in their driveway. Without another thought, Kagome grabbed her bathrobe and dashed out to the front hall.

Dressed in a professional business suit, Sesshomaru stood with a briefcase in hand. When he looked at her, curious blue met knowledgeable gold, and they exchanged a long glance. Sesshomaru approached Kagome and stopped when they were a few inches apart.

"Good morning," he murmured.

She raised an eyebrow, unsure of what he was doing. "What's going on? Are those moving trucks?" She snuck a look over his shoulder.

"Yes, they are here to take my belongings." He turned away from her and motioned to an idle mover to get back to work.

"But—this is way too sudden!" She pushed back on his chest, and looked around the room, as if there was something in it that could stop him from leaving.

Quietly calming her, he placed his hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry. Things just have to be this way."

She frowned at his apology. Something was… different. He was acting odd, almost like a regular human. Where was the cold Sesshomaru she had grown to like?

"So, wait," Kagome tried to keep up with him as he moved towards the door. "When will you return?"

He reached the doorway and glanced at her over his shoulder. "I'm not sure. These things tend to take a while. Four years, probably."

"But!" Kagome stuttered, following him out the door. He kept on moving away from her and closer to the car. In less than a minute, he would be on his way. _This is no time to stay quiet. I need answers, and I need them now._ "Will we stay separated when you return? Can I contact you while you're gone? How would I reach you, if I could? Did you ever talk to Rin?"

As the questions poured from her lips a tear slid down her cheek. He ignored her questions and slid into his car. Starting the engine, he began to pull out, leaving Kagome distraught and hurt. She watched him turn onto the road but stop suddenly, as if he was forgetting something.

"Kagome!" He yelled, and motioned her over to the car window. Utterly confused, she stumbled over to him, and adjusted her loose bathrobe. She couldn't fathom why he had called her by her name, when he had never done so before.

"What?"

"I'm selling the house. You have two weeks to find someplace else to live." He nodded to her, and drove off.

Kagome stood on the side of the roads like a statue for the longest time. Images of Sesshomaru leaving swirled around her mind, making it impossible to think. Eventually, Jaken marched out of the house and ordered her to stop embarrassing his lord by standing outside in indecent apparel.

Something inside of her snapped. Kagome was beyond feeling angry, now she was feeling violent.

* * *

"Sango," Kagome pleaded over the phone a week and a half later, "I need your help. I'm so sorry, but I can only ask you and Miroku. Could we stay with you until we can get back on our feet?"

Sango smiled faintly and reassured her best friend, "Of course you can. You always have someplace to stay with us. How is the house search going?"  
Kagome sniffled into the receiver. She was an emotional mess; going from being excruciatingly sad to furiously homicidal. "Alright. I might be securing an apartment over in the eastwood complex, but nothing is definite. It's just—the house is being sold in three days and…" She whimpered.

"Even though we're talking about Sesshomaru, this still seems too rushed. I just can't imagine he'd act like this to you. You're probably going to get a call from him any day now, I'm sure," Sango had been trying to comfort Kagome, but she was making no progress. Even Rin couldn't brighten her spirits these days, which was a big problem.

"That fucker—I don't want to hear from him!" Kagome shouted, and on the other end of the line Sango jerked the phone off her ear. "He can rot in his own personal hell for all I care! I hate him—that mother—"

"Kagome," Sango chastised, "swearing won't get you anywhere. Calm down… this isn't like you."

"What do you mean, isn't like me?! I am me! I'm acting the way I normally do! No man could ever change me into," Kagome chocked on a sob and violently switched emotions, "the emotional mess that I am! Oh Sango, what do I do? I think I was falling in love with him!"

Before Sango could reply, Kagome began to senselessly ramble. "I mean, how could he do this to me? I had no warning! It was so sudden… He left, sold the house, and got rid of me completely! The only proof that I had ever been in his life is in his bank accounts, because he paid all my debts!"

Sango attempted to hush her hysterical friend with no avail. Checking her watch, Sango made a hasty retreat, "Sorry, Kags, but I got to go. Feel better, and we'll talk, later, I promise!"

Sango hung up and Kagome sighed, looking at her phone. "Lots of people have been breaking promises to me lately," she whispered quietly, to no one at all.

* * *

A month later Kagome's life had begun to return to normal. She had acquired a job at a business and had started renting the apartment in the eastwood complex. She didn't see Rin very often because of her schedule, which left the little girl going to preschool every day. Both Kagome and Rin were sad about that one particular fact, but they acknowledged that it was necessary. Kagome needed to pay the rent, and had to work hard, just like before. The only difference was that they didn't have a huge debt on their heads.

Kagome's life was pleasant these days. She had cracked down on her wild emotions and focused on her work. Her life had stress, but if Kagome focused on making it pleasant, she found she could tolerate it. Her life would be pleasant, she was certain.

At work, Kagome had already started making friends. She had met a chipper young woman named Koharu and a nice man named Hojo, and Kagome had taken it upon herself to become friends with them. They were exactly the type of person she wanted to be: kind and optimistic, so innocent that they couldn't see the horrors of the world. She suspected neither had ever felt heartbreak or the crushing weight of debt. She wanted to be just like them because of that.

As Kagome entered her cubicle in the office, she set out her work papers, piling them neatly and organized. Her work was good for her; she could already feel how the structure of her day brought her back to sanity. In her heart of hearts, she was confident that the people she'd met and the people she would meet could help her repair the gaping hole in her life.

"Hello, Kagome-chan," the very man she'd just been thinking about, Hojo, was standing at her door.

She looked up from her desk and smiled artificially. "Hello, Hojo-kun. How can I help you?"

He scratched the back of his neck and nodded amicably. "Well, I was wondering," he swallowed nervously, "if you were free later tonight."

_Rin…_ Kagome stifled a sigh. She wanted to remain pleasant; that was her goal. Hojo, however, made that goal particularly difficult. She wanted to emphasize her need for a friend, not a lover. "Um… I'm not too sure. I think I might have plans already."

"Oh." He nodded, not picking up on the vibes she'd been trying to send to him, "maybe later, then."

He left her cubicle, still feeling as elated as before. Kagome groaned. She couldn't do it. She would have a pleasant life, yes, but she could never be as dense as Hojo or Koharu. Their naïveté was infinitely annoying.

* * *

A month later, though, Kagome finally decided that Hojo would never get the message. Since Sesshomaru hadn't contacted her at all, and it looked like she would be living together with Rin till the end of her days, she wanted to do something. She wanted to lose her virginity.

She'd had enough time to get over Sesshomaru, and wouldn't be held back by his memory. It was clear to her that they had nothing to do with each other anymore, so she should build her own life, away from him. And by dating Hojo, she intended to do exactly that.

With a promise to meet at a bar Saturday night, Kagome made plans with Sango for her to watch Rin. An hour before the scheduled date, Kagome slipped on an inviting black dress and primped herself. She'd known Hojo long enough; she wanted to rid herself of her purity for once and for all.

He arrived at her apartment and she left to meet him. Sliding into his car, she greeted him and smiled, trying not to notice the interior of his car. The material that lined his car was soft, but nothing like she would've wanted. She wanted a man who had black leather seats in his car… and she didn't want to think of the man who had that car.

"Kagome, I just know you're going to love this restaurant. It's Italian, and the pasta is just wonderful. The drinks are just exquisite, too," Hojo rambled and Kagome counted how many times he'd used the word just. _Three so far_.

"Thank you, Hojo. I can't wait."

"And the view is just to die for. If you stand in a certain spot, you can practically see the whole town!" He smiled at her, and she nodded back politely.

He turned into a small parking lot, and they got out of the car. He awkwardly raised his hand, as if to create a blindfold so that when they turned the corner he could unveil the restaurant to her, but she stepped away from him, effectively blocking his attempt. She turned around the corner, and was as stunned as Hojo had promised.

The venue was sweet, in a quaint sort of way. It was, however, not at all what he had made it out to be. It was squished between two Japanese style restaurants, built with stone instead of wood like it's neighbors. The street it was placed on was a tiny road with several restaurants in the middle of an urban neighborhood. Not exactly elegant, per say.

They walked a few steps towards the restaurant until Hojo halted. Leaning forward, he looked around and then exclaimed, "Here it is! Just stand right here, Kagome, and you can see everything!"

She stood where he had been and gazed out on the city. Sure, she could see a lot of the city, but the city was tiny. And a large building obstructed the best part of the view. She sighed.

Misinterpreting her sigh, Hojo beamed. "I knew you'd love it. I just knew it!"

He lead her into the restaurant and filled her in on the history and special cuisine of the shop, that didn't really sound all that special. Though Kagome earnestly wanted to enjoy listening to his lecture she only had one thing on her mind. _Six and_ counting...

* * *

Kagome slumped against the car door. He'd said the word 'just' around thirty times over the span of a two hour long dinner. Although, she couldn't quite be sure it was only thirty times, because she'd lost count around twenty. On the inside, she felt like she was dying.

"So basically, to recap on what I'd told you before, I think that if they taught algebra to elementary school students, then kids could be learning calculus by ninth grade! It's just so fascinating!" He smiled affectionatly at her, not noticing how bored she was.

The car turned into the parking lot of her apartment complex. Kagome mentally checked the list she had created for herself. Rin was out of the house, she smelled fresh and clean, and in the back pocket of her purse she had a condom. She couldn't think of anything else she needed.

Hojo cleared his throat, waiting for her to speak. Glancing at him, Kagome decided she'd start out slow; a simple kiss would suffice.

His lips were thin, as if they'd been pressed together so many times from talking that they'd lost all shape. His lips weren't unappealing, so to speak, but they didn't inspire any lust in her. She didn't allow herself to think of other lips that would as she leaned over the seat, brushing her hand against his cheek and kissed him.

He kissed like her ex-boyfriend, Kouga. During college, when she'd been going through a sad point in her life after her father had died, she'd met a wolf youkai. She had started dating him because he had feelings for her, and at the time, Kagome had just wanted to be loved. Several months later, though, when he proposed marriage to her out of the blue, she'd dumped him.

Even though she hadn't though of him for the longest time, Kagome still remembered Kouga's distinct kissing style. He'd slobbered a bit, like the wolf he was, and grasped both of her lips together to tease them. his kissing always made Kagome feel claustrophobic, as if she didn't have enough space to move around.

She shuddered. Hojo's kisses were like dry pecks, but somehow they reminded her of Kouga's kisses. Both men's kisses left her feeling... unsatisfied.

She wanted to think of something else, so she began to undo the buttons on her blouse. _Just get this over with._

"Right here? Right now?" Hojo panted.

She covered her frown and whispered back to him. "Yes... right here, right now, like two crazy teenagers. Let's make dangerous love, Hojo." She bit back a laugh at how stupid she sounded.

"Teenagers? Why not in a bed, so we're comfortable? Do you have any protection?"

_He asks way too many questions,_ she thought irritably. _And weren't guys the ones who always carried protection around whenever they had even the slightest possibility of getting lucky?_

She kissed him again and tried to clear her mind. But she couldn't do it. She just couldn't. Hojo was too irritating. He was too inquisitive and easily impressed. He said the word 'just' too much and got too nervous. Kagome knew that she was being picky, but she couldn't help it. She knew that she might not get another chance like this again, but suddenly it didn't matter anymore.

She wouldn't lose her virginity with Hojo.

* * *

The months passed quickly, turning into years and then suddenly Kagome was in her thirties. She had a steady job, and lived with Rin in their own house. Rin began attending school when she turned five, and was now in her first year of junior high, but barely talked to Kagome anymore. Their bond, which had been so strong before, had faded with the years and was replaced by loneliness.

Due to Kagome's large responsibilities at her job, worked late into the nights and rarely ate dinner with her sister. After a while, Rin had become friends with the next door neighbors and had started to eat dinner with them every night. On the days that Kagome did get home early, she'd find the house cold and abandoned, Rin staying with the family next door that could provide the atmosphere for her that she wanted.

Every once in a while, Kagome would think about Sesshomaru when she ate dinner by herself. He had never contacted her after he left, but every year or so Kagome found articles about a rouge demon. Rumor had it, the great youkai were still hunting the demon that had been reincarnated.

She didn't worry about him anymore. It had been so many years, the heartbreak of his departure had dulled, and she no longer felt the crushing weight of his rejection everytime she thought about him. She merely felt a void in her soul, empty and numb, which should have been filled by their marriage, her bond with Rin and children.

And so, her life moved on. At thirty six years old, she was depressed, tired, and lonesome.

* * *

The Sunday morning paper arrived on time, but when Kagome looked at the headline, she found it was anything but normal. Glancing around her quiet house, she called out to Rin.

"Rin! Wake up!"

Several minutes later, a sleepy teen emerged from her bedroom."What?"

"Look at this," Kagome held the paper out and rubbed her lips together as Rin read it over.

"Oh my gosh, you'd better go, then." Rin looked mutely worried, but returned the paper to her and moved into the kitchen to eat breakfast.

_This is exactly what I need_, Kagome barely recognized the hope in her heart as she grabbed her jacket and ran to the car.

The headlines read: Rouge demon attacks Tokyo. All mikos are to report for duty.

As she drove to Tokyo, Kagome's mind was racing. Thoughts about Sesshomaru, a rouge demon and her dormant miko powers drifted in and out of her conciseness as she started her journey. The article said that they needed mikos to heal the wounded citizens of Tokyo and try and find the demon, and even though her powers weren't very strong, she was hopeful. At least she could help in some way.

After arriving in Tokyo, she worked for a week straight. After each patient left feeling better than they had before, Kagome found herself feeling happier and as a healer, she felt like she had a purpose in life. She finally found someplace she belonged.

Kagome worked for a couple more days in bliss until she began to feel odd. Her arms seemed to be constantly aching, and her knuckles were stiff. Not wanting to worry any of her fellow mikos, she decided to try something she hadn't done for the longest time. Talk to Kikyo.

Kikyo's soul hadn't made any type of contact with Kagome over the latest two decades. It was as if Kikyo had shut her out, angry at Kagome for neglecting to spend time with Rin. Kagome's reasons had been justified in the past; she needed to pay rent, save money for Rin's college, and save money in general. But now Kagome knew why Kikyo had been so mad. There would never be enough money, never enough saved up. There was, however, a limited amount if time she would have on the planet, and she needed to spend it wisely. Like Kikyo, she'd forgotten what was really important, and focused on her job instead of her family life.

She tried to reach Kikyo with no avail. Gathering, she asked around her peers to see if anyone else was feeling strange. Sure enough, ever single woman was.

After a month of work the people of Tokyo were feeling better and the mikos retired to their homes. Kagome left feeling refreshed in spirit, but oddly ill in her body. Ignoring her seemingly minor cold, she returned home and repaired her relationship with Rin.

A month later, the women had reformed their bond, and though it wasn't as strong as it had been when Rin was a child, they loved each other again. Life was looking up.

* * *

And then, Kagome's life came crashing down on her. A year later, she was diagnosed with a disease special to miko only, where the her powers began to purify her body and kill her from the inside out. An epidemic had broken in Tokyo when the demon had attacked a year ago, and every miko had caught it. Within the next twenty years, there would be virtually no miko left.

The rouge demon had been caught and killed soon after Kagome had discovered her illness. The whole idea of him chilled her to the bone, and when she watched a news special about him, she found out why. After being asked why he had committed his crime, he turned towards the camera, he had announced to the world, "Just for you, sweetheart. It's all about revenge."

She cried herself to sleep, knowing who the demon was. Naraku had been out to get her, but he created a disease that was horribly painful, and had given it to every miko in Japan, just to make sure she would contract it. And then worst of all, just as she'd begun to enjoy life again, she was going to die.

* * *

On her death bed twenty five years later, Kagome was ready to go. She'd had a long, fruitless fight with the disease now called _cenarerobus_, and had lasted a long time. But now, it was time for her to leave her painful body, and join her miko sisters in the afterlife.

"Rin?" She asked quietly into the darkness of the hospital room. A mournful face appeared in the moonlight that was cast into the room. Rin had stopped growing a few years ago, and looked like a beautiful twenty year old maiden.

"Yes?"

"Did you bring him?"

"Yes." Another face appeared in the moonlight and Kagome's frail body drew in a large gasp of air.

"Sesshomaru," she breathed. He remained silent, watching her inhale weakly and exhale with a great shake.

"Hello," he finally said.

"It's good to see you," Kagome's smile looked spent.

"Hnn." He was as quiet as she remembered.

"I don't have much time," she drew another exhausted breath, "but you made me a promise a long, long time ago. I've come to collect it."

In the corner of the room, a tear slid down Rin's face.

"Protect my baby sister, Sesshomaru. You're all she has left now."

Kagome closed her eyes and rested before she could speak again. "And for the record, I fell in love with you."

Sesshomaru observed the sick woman and felt a mournful tug in his heart. Though he hadn't cared for her deeply, the miniscule feelings he did hold for her called out to him. It seemed cruel to him, the cold demon lord, that the world should have made the powerful woman he used to know get so old and decrepit. She was nothing like he remembered, with wrinkles and sunken eyes, and her skin holding no warm gleam anymore.

"I will fulfill my promise."

"Good," she sighed, "good... Now, goodbye. Rin... I love... you."

The clock that had contained Kagome's life time stopped ticking. Her string of fate was cut. Her arm drooped, her last breath left her lips. Kagome was dead.

And Kagome's life ended, and in a flurry, she observed select scenes in Rin and Sesshomaru's life.

She saw Rin overcome by sorrow, Rin wasting away. Drugs, alcohol, sex; Rin quickly became involved in the worst of it. She saw Sesshomaru, changed and unstable. The mind of the great demon lord became fuzzy with age, and he too found that life no longer contained it's luster. Neither cared for each other, because they were reminded of Kagome when they were together. The last scene she saw was so depressing that Kagome could not bear to watch any longer.

* * *

She woke up screaming, her sweat drenched night shirt clinging to her body.

Hurriedly glancing around the room she was in, she found she was in her bedroom at Sesshomaru's house. She was safe; there was no disease, there was no death, everything was fine. She was laying in her own bed, in the comfort of her own home, waking up from a nightmare. But that didn't settle her soul.

Without taking the time to throw on something to cover herself because her shirt only reached halfway down her legs, she dashed down the hallway. Arriving at Sesshomaru's door, before she had a sane thought flicker through her mind, she burst through.

She was met with the sight of her husband reclining in bed calmly, reading a book. He glanced up at her and raised an eyebrow smoothly.

Panting, she steadier herself on his doorway and began shouting before she knew what she was going to say.

"We are never separating!"

* * *

Oh wow, that was a really long chapter! Crazy, right? I'm curious, though. When did you figure out it was a dream? (Was it obvious or was it weird, like, what the heck is happening?)

On a side note the disease Kagome had in her dream was canarerobus, which means power eating in Latin.

Hope you enjoyed! ~Gracie

All Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	20. Embarrassment

Dawn broke on the Taisho household and the day progressed quickly. The sunrise turned into morning, and threatened to become noon before the occupants of the house had caught a glimpse of the mistress. Kagome, who was suffering from the most extreme embarrassment, had been drowning in misery, content to live out the rest of her life in her chambers.

Sesshomaru had left for one of several meetings early that morning, but Kagome couldn't bring herself to exit her room, even with that knowledge. After her outburst in the middle of the night... it seemed that nothing in the world that could compel her to start her day. However; a little before eleven, a small knock on the door made her throw on a sundress and return to earth.

"Kagome," Rin stood behind the door quietly, "are you feeling okay?"

"Ah," she dashed out of her room and closed the door, as if to hide her embarrassment behind it. "No, no. I'm fine. Don't you worry! A-Okay. Just perfect!"

Her r's rolled as Kagome nervously tried to reassure the little girl. After a hesitant beat, Rin broke a smile and asked for lunch. The girls moved to the kitchen so Kagome could whip up something nice for them.

"You see, even though Jaken said he was very annoyed at you, I knew he was worried. He had this scrunched up look on his face—just like this!" The girl babbled on and twisted her face to try and mimic Sesshomaru's faithful attendant.

Kagome laughed lightly and pulled out the bread and deli so she could make some sandwiches. She was silent as she put together their lunches and waited for Rin to speak.

"But, Kaggie, if you weren't sick, what happened?" Rin tapped her thumb against the table, practicing a song she on the piano.

"Well," she shifted, "I had a bad dream." _No, not a dream. A nightmare._

"Oh. I hope you feel better," Rin looked up from where she had been sitting and saw Kagome bringing the sandwiches over to the table.

They began to eat in silence and Kagome tried to keep her eyes off the little girl sitting across the table from her. That little girl… Kagome would give up her life for her. She would protect her the best way she could. And she absolutely would not let her premonition come true.

Her premonition. She'd had no regular nightmare—it had been a warning sent by Kikyo.

That night, once Kagome had become fully conscious and aware of her surroundings, she had fled back to her room. There, within the safe confines of her walls, and trying to distract herself from her random outburst, she had tried to analyze the dream.

It had been so real; impossibly real. And at midnight on a Saturday, crouched behind her bed, huddled together, she came to an understanding. It had been a premonition.

Kikyo's soul had beat against her in confirmation. This premonition was a warning—a threat of a possible life. The future was ever changing; Kagome had understood that from a young age. She knew that her life had many possibilities, and that her decisions dictated the outcome. So if Kagome chose to separate with Sesshomaru, she'd never return to him.

In the present, Kagome watched Rin polish off the last of her ham sandwich. She had made her decision. She would stay with Sesshomaru, and accept her future after that. Whatever future she had with him, she was positive it'd be better than if she didn't. Now, she just had to tell him properly.

There was also the problem with Naraku. She knew Naraku was out for revenge; Sesshomaru had said as much. And if Kikyo knew what she was talking about, then Naraku was out to get the shikon miko—which was her. Kagome wasn't certain his exact reasoning, but she was sure it had to do with how Kikyo, the previous shikon miko, had killed him. It was just a guess.

"Hey, Kagome?" Rin's voice broke Kagome's stream of thought.

"Hmm?"

"Can we go to the park? I really wanna play on that new thinga-ma-doodle!" She beamed and fluttered her eyelashes at Kagome.

Laughing, Kagome agreed and decided to take her mind off her current situation.

* * *

The girls arrived home after dinner, having eaten at a nearby ramen shop. From the street, Kagome spotted Sesshomaru's car and took a nervous gulp. She was a grown woman, and she shouldn't be ashamed of the things she said. Except she was, and very much so. Once they had entered the house, she politely excused herself to her rooms and hid from the outside world. She'd deal with her problems later.

After an hour of sitting in her room, though, Kagome found she could not ignore the siren calls of the bathtub. She was exhausted, and the only thing that would help cure her distress would be a long soak in the bath. Gathering up her soaps and towel, she marched straight towards the bathroom.

Their bathroom that contained the bathtub was a traditional Japanese bathroom, where the toilet and sink were separated into a completely different room, and there was a tiled room where the bathtub was and an outer room for laundry and clothing. Kagome waited in the outer room and took off her clothing, but wrapped herself in the towel as she entered the tiled room.

The bathroom was clean, and smelled of fresh soap. She inhaled deeply without opening her eyes and clutched her towel tighter around her body. Exactly what the doctor ordered. _I can't believe I was so worked up over yelling at Sesshomaru in the middle of the night. It's not like I'm in love with him._ With another inhale of the warm soapy air, she smiled, feeling refreshed. _What was his name again? Sesshomaru who?_

"If you wished to bathe with me, you need only ask."

She froze, her blood turning to ice in her veins. Her eyes fluttered open and slowly slid over to where he was.

Sitting in the tub, which was full of hot water, was her ailment. Her husband. Sesshomaru.

Releasing a scream, she dashed out of the bathroom and took refuge in the outer room. Hastily throwing anything on her body, she found her heaviest sweats that would cover all of her body except her hands, toes and face. She was still showing too much skin.

_He saw me!_ she was screaming in her mind, her thoughts rapidly flashing from one to the next. _I saw him_, she thought, a bit stunned from the memory. If she closed her eyes she could still see his body, his sculpted muscles and broad chest. She hadn't seen anything in the water but if she'd move and inch closer to the tub she might've…

Jerking her head into a shaking motion, she tried to dispel the thoughts. Focusing a bit more, she assessed her new mortifyingly embarrassing situation. She should've noticed the steam in the bathroom. She should've paid more attention, and noticed how he always bathed at night. There were a thousand clues she could've found, but she'd missed them.

And then there was the fact that she'd screamed like the virgin maiden she was when he'd spoken to her. He'd probably seen a thousand women naked; her body wasn't all that different. So what he'd seen her in the nude… she tried to convince herself it didn't matter, but her incredibly humiliated mind couldn't wrap around the thought.

Another thought set in, and she composed herself. She'd screamed like the virgin she was. It was probably obvious to him, how inexperienced she was in romance, but she didn't want him to know that fact, if he hadn't discovered it already. The fact that she'd somehow turned twenty four this year, gotten married and worked in a lingerie shop but still had yet to pop her metaphorical cherry, was just pathetic. Sure, she'd been waiting for the right guy, but in waiting for him, she'd somehow missed the opportunity completely, and was now married to a demon that wouldn't touch her.

She couldn't let him know. It was too personal.

So, summoning up every last ounce of her courage, she turned around, slid the door to the bathroom open, and took a seat on the tiled floor. She sat as far away from him as she could, dressed in sweats that covered every last inch of her skin, but she'd reentered the bathroom. That was worth some merit of courage.

Dragging her gaze up to meet his amused eyes, she raised her chin and announced, "I have to speak with you."

"That's a shame," his golden eyes were alight with a fire, "I had hoped you were here to bathe."

She bit her lip and endured his teasing. She hadn't even known the demon lord _could_ tease. "Nope. Just to talk."

He nodded but made no move to leave the bath. Fine, then. We'll talk here.

She cleared her throat and tried to approach the situation delicately. "Oh, Kami, I don't know what came over me last night. I'd had this dream, and I wasn't quite awake yet, I really didn't know what I was doing. I'm sorry if I woke you up or made you angry, I really didn't mean it at all!"

She clamped her loose lips together and silently vowed never to speak again.

"I certainly hope you meant what you said." His voice sounded deep and powerful and she traced the pattern in the tile so that she would not be distracted by him. He was naked, gorgeous and sitting five feet away from her. It was fairly obvious why rational thought had escaped her a long time ago.

"What?"

He watched her look idly at the floor. "I told the council that we would not be separating."

Now she jerked her head up, her eyes bewildered. "What?!"

"You gave me your answer. I merely relayed it to my subordinates."

She groaned. "What does that mean?"

"You will be assisting me and the demon council in completing our mission. Then we will return home, and continue living together."

She sighed, not quite understanding, but relieved nonetheless. They would be doing this together.

"When will we leave for this," she frowned, "mission?"

"In a week. I suggest you find lodging for Rin, because she will not be coming with us and Jaken will be returning to his family for a month."

"Okay," it wasn't like she'd have let Jaken take care of Rin even if he'd been staying at the house. That imp couldn't keep track of her at all.

"Now this assignment," she inquired hesitantly after a few silent minutes, "we're trying to get rid of a rouge demon named Naraku, right?"

He raised an eyebrow and admired the quickness of her mind. He had given her very little information on the mission, so if she had already figured out what was happening, he'd underestimated her. "Correct. However, I must ask how you came to know that."

She blinked, and then shrugged. She wouldn't tell him about Kikyo or her being the shikon miko yet; now wasn't a good time. She did, though, have an acceptable excuse. "I was a history minor. I learned a lot about demon and miko battles."

He nodded.

Kagome returned to tracing the tiles and rubbing her lips together. Sesshomaru shifted in the bath, and watched her. _She's going to rub her lips off one day,_ he thought with displeasure.

"Umm… I don't really know what you're trying to find on this trip but… I'd like to be helpful to you," she murmured against her knees, which were drawn up to her chest.

"Do you have the ability to sense other mikos?"

She glanced up at him and grimaced. All mikos could find each other in a crowd, because they could read the power signatures given off by mikos. "Yeah…"

Though all demons had the ability to figure out which humans were mikos and monks, she could still be useful to the council. "Can you figure out a miko's classification?"

Kagome nodded. Such things were simple for her. Mikos were classified into three different types: healing, combat, and shielding. There were, of course, powerful exceptions to the classifications that were skilled in all three areas, but they were rare.

She would be very useful, then, Sesshomaru thought. Someone who could rule out different mikos with a simple glance would be a powerful asset. They were looking for one specific miko: one with an ancient power, who was fluent in each category.

"You're searching for a miko," her question was more of a statement.

"The new shikon miko. She has been reincarnated."

Kagome tried not to think, but if she had been able to, she would've been screaming: _that's me!_

* * *

Hi, all! Hope you liked this chapter, again I apologize for my delay. (I really wish finals would end, but they've barely even started!) So anyways, if you have any questions about the traditional Japanese bathroom, I suggest you google it or watch an anime, because it's very interesting. Their bathrooms are very different from American ones, which is very cool. The Europeans have a similar style (being that they typically have their toilets separated from the room that has their bathtub, but it's still different.)

And yes, I changed a bit around with the miko business. Basically, miko's can sense each other, and they had different skill sets that they can learn, that their power is more in tune with. One miko might have powers that are good for combat, and another might be good at healing. All mikos can heal, conceal their powers and battle with them, but you're usually better at one skill than the others. Hope that helps. ~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	21. Discussions

Kagome had nothing to say. She couldn't have formed a coherent thought in her mind, even if she had wanted to. Which she didn't. She was too shocked.

It shouldn't have been a surprise, because if Naraku was back for revenge, it was obvious he'd want revenge on the shikon miko. It seemed natural that he'd go after her, and Kikyo had told her as much in her premonition-like dream. She hadn't expected that the council to want her, though.

She took a breathy and looked at Sesshomaru from across the room, and tried to appear normal. Now was her chance to tell him. If she was even going to tell him she was the shikon miko, it would be now. She took a deep breath.

"I must ask you a question about your miko powers." Sesshomaru watched her evenly.

She held her breath and nodded.

"The council will be wary of you not only because you are a miko, but also because there is something odd about your powers." He frowned, "Explain them to me."

She let out her breath. She couldn't do it. She wouldn't tell him she was the shikon miko. "I have a very limited about of miko power." Something had always been off with her miko power. For some odd reason, she could never find a way to tap into the shikon powers, or even all of the miko power in her soul. Something was blocking her, and she'd never been able to use her full abilities.

His face was expressionless as her replied smoothly. "You demonstrate more power than I had previously detected when you become emotional."

She could sense his underlying feelings that he'd never say. He was bothered that he couldn't sense all of her powers. He was supposed to be one of the most powerful demons to ever live, so why wasn't he able to detect the extent of the powers of a mere miko like herself?

She shrugged it off and played casual, "It's not a big deal. Sometimes a miko's powers can be affected by her emotions. And, I'm also fairly skilled in concealment. " _So good I've completely blocked off my shikon miko powers; that's how good at concealment I am._

She watched him scrutinize her and after a moment, he let the issue go. "We will be leaving in the morning for a council meeting with the demons assembled in Tokyo."

She blinked, and then refocused herself on his new topic of conversation. She'd missed her chance; she wouldn't tell him she was the shikon miko.

* * *

They arrived at the youkai headquarters perfectly on time. Sesshomaru lead her past the intimidating guards at the front doors and through the sky scraper up to a room on one of the last floors. With a quick swipe of his security card, they entered the protected room. She swallowed, and followed him in suit.

When they had driven over to the arranged meeting spot, he had briefed her on the position she had been assigned.

They had driven in his sleek black car, Kagome sitting in the passenger seat with the window down. She basked in the warm sunlight and let her hair be ruffled by the moist air. She was feeling great after their reunion the night before, and was exhilarated by the season change from spring to summer, which she could feel deep in her bones.

"The elder youkai view you as nothing but an object tied to me because I haven't marked you. Therefore, you aren't allowed to speak during the meeting." Sesshomaru's voice cut into Kagome's light feelings as she remembered the mission.

Taking in what he said, she grimaced and crossed her arms. "That's completely stupid. I don't even know what to say to that."

"Nothing. You're like a child—meant to be seen, and not heard."

She groaned. "You youkai are all the same… Completely arrogant and unwilling to see past the tips of your noses."

His eyes flashed over to look at her before flickering back to the road. She met his quick gaze with a smug smile. Teasing, trifling, the atmosphere was relaxed in a tense way. Their unspoken emotions travelled with them as they approached the headquarters, both aware of the strain between them that kept them from being completely casual. It was something of a power issue, hierarchy, and a sexual charge that floated around them.

She sighed as their car approached the largest building on the block.

"Remember what I told you. Not a word." His deep voice demanded her attention as they entered the room at the top of the company.

She grumbled and pinched him subtly on his arm, to warn him that he couldn't treat her like that anywhere else but here. His gaze was sharp but held a slight taint of amusement. He liked how his little bride tried to put him in his place. It wasn't affective, but he felt the spark of interest focused on her ignite.

A dark haired inuyoukai moved to the head of the table that was set in the middle of the room and motioned for the rest of the group to sit down. Sesshomaru ushered her to a seat next to his, at the opposite end of the head of the table. Kagome sat quietly, absorbing the faces and sights of the youkai around her.

The room had two glass walls that looked out on Tokyo, and the sheer view was more than breathtaking. The youkai in the room, most either inuyoukai, kitsune or nekoyoukai, with the exception of a few whom she wasn't able to figure out their race, sat stonily silent, inspecting each other. The males in the room clearly outnumbered the females in the room, there being only three other women in the room besides Kagome herself, however none seemed timid.

The meeting commenced when the inuyokai at the head of the table began speaking. He debriefed everyone on the situation, though Kagome sensed they weren't fully explaining the situation.

Once the leader had sat down again, the other members began to talk and suggest ideas.

"We will need to send search parties for the shikon miko out immediately. She could have been reincarnated anywhere in Japan," the female youkai with sleek black hair curled a lip as she spoke, "or Kami forbid somewhere else."

"It would take months for our people to survey every powerful miko they would find on these searches. We need a more productive approach," an inuyoukai with blond hair challenged the other woman.

Kagome turned slightly so she could observe Sesshomaru. He already had a plan, but he remained silent. She rolled her eyes and looked out the window. The stubborn inuyoukai wouldn't speak until all eyes were on him. She found him incredibly arrogant, but something in her still found him particularly interesting. Her feelings contradicted each other, but as she stole another glance at the smooth, confident male next to her, she couldn't stop the curl of heat from unfurling at the base of her stomach.

Her mind was ripped from her wandering thoughts when the dark inuyoukai at the head of the table spoke.

"Sesshomaru-sama has a miko in his possession that will help us find the shikon miko," the leader motioned to Sesshomaru, and Kagome bit her lip, trying not to frown.

"She doesn't look physically fit. She couldn't be much of an aid to us," a man remarked from a seat near Kagome.

"Her powers aren't strong; she would be more of a burden than an asset."

She clenched and unclenched her fists underneath the table. Being diplomatic and polite was proving to be harder than she'd expected.

"On the other hand, any miko in our possession could help us win over the help of more powerful mikos." An orange haired nekoyoukai piped up from the other side of the table.

_That's it!_ Kagome furiously pinched Sesshomaru's thigh underneath the table. His eyes slid over to hers, and she tried to shoot daggers at him with her gaze.

He didn't respond.

"Humans place a great deal of loyalty and emotional weight on their marriage bond. Though Sesshomaru-sama has not mated her, she would obey his orders without question. Such blind trust is hard to find, and should be taken advantage of."

Kagome writhed in her chair silently and bit her tongue in an attempt to remain silent. It was her duty as the shikon miko to eliminate Naraku, and if she made a fool of herself infront of these youkai, she'd be deemed unsuitable to work with them. Still, though, her pride as a woman and as a human wouldn't allow her to sit and listen to them degrade her like they were doing.

She began pinching Sesshomaru on the thigh and resolved herself to continue pinching him until he stopped the meeting. Eventually, her actions would be so annoying to him he'd have to stop, she concurred.

And sure enough, after a couple more teeth-clenching statements, Sesshomaru cleared his throat.

"We will be having a ten minute break."

Without any questions, the youkai simultaneously rose and exited the room. The second the last one had left, Sesshomaru turned and snarled at her.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "You didn't really think I'd just sit there and take that, now did you?"

"I expected you to yell later, however I didn't think you'd make a scene."

"I didn't make a scene!" She hissed, "And thanks a lot! While I don't have the power to stand up for myself, you do, and you didn't!"

She turned her back to him, her fury mixing into a deep blend of hurt and betrayal. She didn't really care what the other youkai thought about her, it was just the fact that he hadn't helped her that stung.

She heard him shift behind her and move closer. Sliding one arm around her abdomen, Kagome was pleasantly surprised when Sesshomaru bent his head and pressed a chaste kiss on her cheek. He wasn't apologizing, but doing the next best thing: consoling her.

Kagome turned her head and met his lips. Their kiss was warm and soft, not deep but sweet nonetheless. As they parted, she met molten go0lden eyes, soft with a care she'd never known to exist in him. She gave him a brief smile as they stepped away from each other when the demons entered the room.

Sesshomaru resumed and ended the meeting with a few sentences. "My wife is a capable miko who will be able to perform the task given to her. Her usefulness will be determined by this Sesshomaru, as she will be traveling only with me."

He stood and proceeded to stand by the door. Her eyes found his and he silently conveyed a message to her. She nodded and stood.

"Hello, my name is Kagome," she smiled at the youkai in the room, trying to be as pleasant as she could be. "I, along with my miko and monk brothers and sisters, want Naraku to be put to peace. I look forward to working with you these next months."

She bowed, and then left the room with Sesshomaru.

* * *

Hi, hope you liked it! Please RxR. ~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi


	22. New Things and Quizzical Questions

She'd never done something like this before. It was new, exciting, and completely unpredictable. All of the sights and sounds made her nerves feel jittery and anxious in anticipation for what would come next. Sesshomaru was with her, assuring her with his silent touch that it would be okay, and she was ready.

Kagome was going to be flying on an airplane.

There were sitting in a small semi-private jet in the first class chairs, but the comfort did nothing for Kagome's tightly strung nerves. In fact, she thought with misery, the luxurious surroundings put her more on edge, because she knew she didn't belong there. She felt like an imposter hitching a ride on an unsafe metal death trap; trouble was sure to follow.

When trouble didn't happen, Kagome just became more nervous. She was clutching Sesshomaru's hand on the chair rest, rubbing her lips together and rapidly sweeping her gaze through the chamber of the plane, to make sure everything was okay.

"Relax," Sesshomaru's deep voice filled her ears and she spared him a flickering glance. "The plane hasn't even taken off yet."

She looked out her window to see the Tokyo airport they were departing from. The plane began to move, and she nervously watched as they moved towards the runway. Trying to distract herself, she chewed her gum quickly and opened the safety leaflet she'd been provided in front of her seat.

She turned to Sesshomaru and blurted out emergency directions to him. "Remember, if there's bad turbulence, we have to get into this position," she pointed at a picture of a man demonstrating the safety procedure by putting his head between his knees. "And the life-preservers are underneath our seats in case we go down over the ocean. There's a gas mask above us for when our plane goes up too high into the atmosphere..."

She regurgitated everything she'd learned from the pamphlet to Sesshomaru twice. Her nervous habit of talking kept her rambling to him. "We have to be prepared—anything could happen!"

Rubbing her lips together as the plane readied itself on the runway, Kagome clenched Sesshomaru's hand harder until his already pale skin stretched white over his knuckles. "There are two exits near those seats in the front, but I think that when our plane goes down over the ocean, we should leave through the door behind us because that's closer. And—"

He interrupted her. "We won't be having any flying trouble today, much less an emergency landing in the ocean. We won't be flying over it."

She blinked at him, and then giggled nervously. "I know, I know, but what if?" A sudden thought caught her paranoid mind. "What if the plane catches on fire?! How would they put it out! What would we do? We couldn't—"

Sesshomaru sighed and let a faint smirk appear on his face. She was so odd when she was nervous… He found it endearing. The strong woman she had proved to be surprised him by being scared by the silliest things… He wondered if she knew he could fly.

"If anything happens to the plane, you have my word I will save you."

Kagome's senseless ramblings were quieted for a moment. Regaining some of her calm self, she looked into his eyes and found what she was looking for. Her heart melted.

"Thank you." Her sentiments were soft, filled with a feeling meant for his ears only.

He kissed her hand, which was wrapped in his own. The plane took off, but Kagome didn't notice. Her mind wandered in his eyes, wondering and curious about the deep feeling that was blooming in her heart.

When he spoke, his voice was deep velvet. "You can plan it now, if you want."

She learned in, curious about what he was referring to. "What?"

"Our honeymoon."

Kagome smiled, her heart full. A honeymoon… Something she'd always wanted. Something she'd always dreamt about. Something she'd thought she'd never have… Until now.

* * *

The plane ride was over before Kagome knew it—fast and without any problems. From the airport, they were transported to their hotel—which she couldn't help to notice was incredibly famous and expensive. She still felt like she didn't belong, but the wonderful view outside their room and the perfumed bathroom convinced her otherwise.

Throwing herself onto the bed, she buried herself in the covers. She didn't really want to think of how there was only one bed… _those _nervous thoughts could be saved for later. Now, though, Kagome was tired, and wanted very much to sleep.

"What are you doing?" Sesshomaru's cool voice penetrated her drowsy mind.

"Sleeping," she mumbled back. For the life of her, she just couldn't open her eyes.

"We have a meeting."

"Ugh," she groaned, and flopped onto her belly. "I have jet lag. Can't go."

"Kagome," he warned. In an instant, she jerked her head out of the sheets, mouth agape. _It's the first time he's called me Kagome. _Though his expression revealed nothing, she saw the familiar warmth in his eyes, and she began to wonder about their relationship. Their future… together.

After a long pause, he sighed and turned for the door. "Rest."

She relaxed back onto the bed, her face alight with a grin.

After resting a couple hours, Kagome awoke with a pit in her stomach. Something wasn't sitting quite right with her about the mission. She couldn't tell Sango the details, she thought as she reached for her cell phone, but she could at least talk her way into an understanding.

Sango picked up on the first ring. "Hey gold digger, how's the weather in the country?"

Kagome laughed. "Fine. It's beautiful out here. How's Rin doing?"

"She'd an angel," Sango assured her that Rin was acting good while staying at Sango's house for the time being.

"What's up?" Sango asked after a couple more minutes of small talk.

"I can't tell you the details, but I do have a couple things to think about. First thing's first: would you be mad if I lied to you?"

Sango frowned at the phone she was holding in her hand. "Umm… how big is your lie? Because anyone would be mad if you weren't honest with them about an important issue. Duh."

Kagome stifled a nervous laugh at the other end of the line. She wouldn't worry about telling Sesshomaru that secret right now. She'd just never tell him she was the shikon miko, simple as that. "Okay, new question. What's the reason why you would want something?"

Why did the youkai council want the shikon miko? The question didn't sit right with her. Sure, the shikon miko _was_ what Naraku was after… but what use did the youkai council have for her? They couldn't possibly know that the new shikon miko had been given special powers from the jewel—to their knowledge, she was just an average miko. Why were they going to such lengths to find her? Their motives didn't make much sense.

And of course, she wondered how they'd react when they found out she was the shikon miko. _If they find out_, Kagome reminded herself. They wouldn't, of course.

"I don't get your question," Sango's voice traveled into mute ears. Kagome was lost in her mind.

"Maybe they just want me because they think I'll have more information than they do. I guess that's logical… Try to meet up with someone who'd been there… But they don't know that I'm not Kikyo, therefore not actually the original one. Hmm…" Kagome spoke her thoughts out loud, and accidently into her phone.

Sango was puzzled, but didn't prod any further. "You know what? I think I'll just leave you alone. Bye, Kags."

Their connected ended, but Kagome barely noticed. She burrowed deeper into the bed and snuggled against a pillow, feeling content. Though she didn't know the youkai council's exact reasoning, she was positive it was information-driven. They wanted the shikon miko in case she had any information on Naraku. Their motives were purely harmless—she was quite sure.

* * *

Hi, all! Hope you liked this chapter. Please enjoy. ~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	23. Plan of Action

Kagome woke to the sound of an alarm blaring in her ear. Grumbling, she rolled over, and attempted to drown out the sound with her blankets.

"Wake up." Sesshomaru's stern voice cut through the haze of sleep that was filling her mind.

She moaned something incoherent and rolled over again.

"You have thirty minutes to be dressed, proper and ready to go to the meeting. Even if you aren't ready, we're still going."

And thirty minutes later, Sesshomaru was dragging a half-ready Kagome out the door of their hotel room.

"I gave you sufficient time." He stated as the elevator doors closed behind them.

"I only had to finish my make up! You could've given me _two minutes_!" She crossed her arms and turned away from him, her anger simmering and then subsiding.

He didn't respond, but she hadn't expected him to. They arrived at the conference room after a twenty minute ride in silence.

Sesshomaru opened the door for her as she entered. Followed behind her, he parted her hair and leaned close to her ear. "Before the meeting starts, you have time to introduce yourself to the other youkai. It would do you well to make a few allies in a political world like this."

Kagome bit her lip but nodded as he walked away. In a vague and tiny part in her heart, she hoped he'd meant other allies, because she already had one.

Straightening her back and attempting to feel more powerful, Kagome looked around for someone to talk to. She wouldn't necessarily look for an ally, but at least someone to talk with. She was the shikon miko after all, and if that ever was revealed, she doubted she'd have made a strong enough bond with a youkai for them to still remain an ally. Sure, everyone had secretes and she knew the political world wasn't exactly forthcoming with those, but they weren't holding vital information like she was.

No one met her eye as she walked to her seat. She tried to greet several youkai that she'd met before, but none responded back. Defeated, Kagome sat down and decided to mentally plan her schedule for the day, to make a productive use of her time. _I've got other friends; so what these youkai think they're too good to talk to a miko?_

Resting her head on her hand she mused over the fact that though the others didn't know it, she had enough power to purify them with a touch, if she so chose. She could do it even without dipping into the shikon powers she'd been granted (which she couldn't use anyway).

Someone tapped on Kagome's shoulder and she turned quickly, startled. Inuyasha took the seat next to her on her right side.

"Hello, Kagome." Inuyasha smiled faintly, and she noticed how sickly he looked. His skin looked like it was stretched across his face, and his eyes were sunken in. She rubbed her lips together but smiled.

"Hi, how are you?"

"Fine, thank you." His expression remained weary. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Oh, yeah, well here I am." She laughed a little. "I'm accompanying Sesshomaru."

"I figured…" He looked around the room and it seemed to Kagome that he wanted to say something else.

A man at the end of the table asked everyone to sit before Inuyasha had worked up the confidence to talk to her. Sesshomaru sat down to her left as the meeting began.

The first speaker droned on for an hour that Kagome sadly determined was a wasted hour of her life that she'd never get back. When the second speaker stepped forward to talk about the methods of finding the shikon miko, she tuned in.

"Now, seated with us today we have two men who will be the leaders of the team that will find the shikon miko. Lord Sesshgomaru-sama, who has gained extensive knowledge of mikos over the years, will travel to the secluded miko village of Midoriko and search there."

The man was about to talk about the second man when he spotted Kagome. Throwing in an extra line for her, he added, "He will be accompanied by his miko companion." Kagome stifled her laugh.

"Inuyasha the hanyou will be the second leader, due to his history with the shikon miko." Kagome's curiosity was piqued when the idea that the only thing that was more taboo than having a miko in the room with the Taiyoukais, might be having a hanyou there. She didn't bother to hide her frown.

"Inuyasha was the only begin close enough to the shikon miko to analyze her complex power signature properly, and is the only one who could correctly identify the shikon power. Therefore, all final suspects will be brought before Inuyasha, and he will determine if we have truly found her."

Kikyo's soul fluttered against Kagome's in a heartbroken song, beating out a rhythm of despair. Inuyasha's eyes flickered to Kagome's as the lines on his face hardened. Neither said anything.

Kagome sighed when Inuyasha cast his eyes downward, and looked away. _He loved her… And now, he's forced to acknowledge the fact that she could be living in the world happily, without him. If only he knew how truly she loved him back. _

Kagome couldn't bring herself to return mentally to the meeting, so she instead glanced around at all the demons present. They were all so cold, with a harsh exterior and a suppressed interior. Built to act like robots, they'd live out their days alone and cold, never forming strong relationships with anyone. It wasn't any way to live.

* * *

They entered their hotel room and as Kagome rested, Sesshomaru began packing a small backpack. Eventually, Kagome ripped her eyes away from the T.V. to find Sesshomaru packing _her _bag.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" She rolled off the bed and took her backpack from him.

He raised an eyebrow at her and reached for one of her sport t-shirts. "Were you not listening earlier? Tomorrow we are setting off to visit Midoriko village."

She paused for a moment, and then asked hesitanly, "Just how far away is this miko place?"

"Three days hike," his golden eyes glimmered, "so I suggest you prepare."

* * *

Hey, sorry for the week's wait! Hope you enjoy this chapter. The action's going to start picking up, but my schedule isn't. At the very least, I'll be posting once a week. Thanks so much if you've continued to read my story! I really appreciate the reviews and faves. See you soon! ~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	24. A Nature Walk

"Could we please stop? Just for a second, I promise," Kagome wiped some sweat from her brow and shaded her eyes. "I am literally dying. I can't move another step."

"Or rather, you won't," Sesshomaru parted the trees that were blocking their trail and kept moving. She grumbled and moved after him.

The woods they were hiking through whispered as the wind rustled the leaves on the trees. The weather was perfect for enjoyment; balmy, breezy and beautiful. Though the woods were filled with blossoming flowers and fertile sights of an untouched world, Kagome was not enjoying herself. Sweat clung to her shoulders and back where her large backpack and tent rested, and every step she took further enhanced her discomfort.

"You haven't given me a single break since we started! It's not healthy for me—I'm only human!" She took a sip from her water bottle as she dodged another tree branch in her way.

"We've barely been walking for three hours." He moved effortlessly, as if they were walking on water instead of a thousand small rocks and roots.

"And it's a miracle I've made it this far…" She mumbled as her foot just barely avoided some uneven ground.

"You were given one break per hour." His deep voice was intended to silence her disruptive complaints.

"They were five minute breaks—hardly anything!" Kagome wouldn't be silenced that easily.

Silence stretched between them for a few laborious minutes until Kagome stopped and set her bag down on a nearby rock. Sesshomaru stilled ahead of her, and didn't make an attempt to hide his displeasure.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I told you," she sipped her water and took a deep breath, "that bag is too heavy for me. Either you help out with carrying this food, or I'm taking a few extra breaks each hour."

His response was calculated to exhibit none of his anger. "The mikos at Midoriko village won't accept you if This Sesshomaru helped you."

"Sure, sure. But what they don't know won't hurt them!"

He simply looked at her, not bothering to respond to her blatant lack of respect for him. When Kagome could bear his silence no longer, she began to make amends.

"Look, I know they want me to be some 'ideal miko' who is special and stuff, but I just wasn't bred that way. I'm a city girl—I'm new to this woodsy stuff." She had spent all of her summers in the countryside, but the pastured fields and cultured gardens of the Higurashi lands were an entirely different place.

"They want you to be an independent miko—one who can thrive outside of modern technology and care. You must prove yourself." He attempted to be stern with her, but found his resolve failing. Though she may have thought he enjoyed watching her stumble along through the woods, oddly, he didn't. And after another close call with Kagome and a sharp rock, he had concluded that it felt oddly uncomfortable to watch her.

Kagome dejectedly grabbed her bag and began to hike again, trailing behind Sesshomaru. As the next hour stretched on, conversation was few and far between, until Kagome's stomach growled.

"We shall have lunch now," Sesshomaru suspiciously announced a minute later.

Narrowing her eyes in a devilish way, Kagome grinned at him. "Perfect… I was just getting hungry." She placed her bag on a soft spot of land and looked at him over her shoulder, "Surely it's a coincidence that we're stopping_ now_… I mean, it's not like the Great Demon Lord Sesshomaru would be considerate of his companions…"

"True." He placed his small travel bag next to hers and opened a water bottle for himself. "It should also be brought to your attention that you forgot the proper respect title on the end of my name."

His smirk betrayed his joke, and she laughed, feeling light and pretty on the wonderful summer afternoon. After resting for a moment, they retrieved their lunches from the bags and chose a spot by a small creek to eat at.

Taking her shoes off, she dabbled a toe in the water of the stream and watched as little minnows approached. The scenery was beautiful, and Kikyo's memories stirred in her thoughts as she observed the wild life of the woods. In a location not dissimilar to Kikyo's hometown, it was inevitable that Kagome would feel something, but she hadn't expected it to feel so good. The fresh air, the smells and textures only brought pleasant memories to the forefront of her mind.

* * *

A half hour later, and promptly on schedule, they were back on the trail, and moving fast. Kagome continued to half stifle her complaints and Sesshomaru barely listened. A few hours before sunset, Sesshomaru found them a quiet meadow to set up camp in. Or rather, for Kagome to set up her camp, and Sesshomaru to find his dinner.

Taking her tent out of it's case, Kagome watched him set off into a run to go hunting. Sesshomaru, who by the law of the miko village Midoriko, also had to be completely independent in order to be received into the village, had only packed a lunch for himself and had decided to hunt for his food for the next few days. She didn't really understand why he wasn't happy with packing normal food to eat, but then again, she didn't really want to._ Inuyoukai will act like inuyoukai._

Once her campsite was set up, she made herself a fire and cooked herself a tinfoil dinner. When Sesshomaru returned after his own meal, she was already in her sleeping bag, with her head poking out the end of the tent.

"It's eight," he told her and began to move some branches away from a soft spot across from her tent.

She frowned, "I thought if we were going to be 'independent people', we couldn't use technology. So then, Mr. follow-all-the-rules, how'd you figure out the time?"

He gave her a bland look as he cleared the last branch and replied. "Internal clock."

"Yeah, right. Cough up the cell phone or watch, buddy."

He cocked an eyebrow. "You doubt my ability to tell time without a clock?"

Her matching smirk was an enticing challenge. "Duh."

"Tell me then, Kagome, how do you think This Sesshomaru told time before clocks became portable?"

Her surprised gaze was his victory. She laughed, and conceded. "Okay, okay. I get it. You can do everything."

"Correct."

Her laughter floated to his ears like a melody, and he thought it more beautiful than a piece composed by one of the great masters he'd known long ago. In a small part of his mind, he wondered why he had let this little human, barely a woman, stir such emotions in his heart.

After the humans had become more advanced and took over the youkai land, he had known the rule of the youkai was over, and a new age was beginning. Now, youkai lived alongside humans, and Sesshomaru's grudge had faded over the years, but he'd still never socialized with them. But Kagome, she was different than all the women he'd met over the years; the woman whom he'd bed and then left. With her, the strange feeling that he wanted something more than a simple sex friend came to mind when he thought about her full curves and toned legs.

As if sensing the direction his thoughts were flowing in, Kagome stirred, suddenly aware. "Are you going to sleep there?" She pointed at where he was sitting, close to her tent.

He looked up at her, and watched her fingers twirl a lock of her hair. "Yes."

"So close?"

"I don't see why that's a problem," her eyes met his and then looked away quickly. Her modesty was amusing when it wasn't necessary.

"Well it's not, but it's just kind of..." she shut her mouth and tried to search for the reason why she couldn't bear to think of him sleeping near her. Her eyes widened when she found it.

"We have been sleeping in the same bed for the past two nights." His voice held an entertained lilt to it.

_Oh Kami, that's right, that's right! We've been sleeping next to each other, but I've been to darn tired to notice!_ She strained her memory to think of what had happened the past two nights.

The first night she'd been asleep by the time he returned home, and the second night once they were in the room she'd fallen asleep right away. But each morning... she had been warm and cozy, nuzzled up against something warm and soft.

"However, you have no reason to worry." She refocused her attention of Sesshomaru when he spoke. "I have no intention on taking you in the woods for our first time. It should be a better location the first time; we will talk about the second when it comes."

Kagome felt her heart beat speed up as warmth rushed to more southern regions of her body. Blushing furiously, she retreated into her tent after a mumbled goodnight.

As sleep hazed her mind and she began to relax again, she wondered why she felt more alone in her bed than she wanted to be.

* * *

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	25. A Warm Welcome, or maybe just a Welcome

After two and a half days of hiking, Kagome was exhausted. She hadn't been lying when she'd said she wasn't cut out for this lengthy nature walk. The first day had been bad, the second day torture, but the third day... Well that was what she liked to think hell would feel like. Each muscle in her body cried out from exhaustion, and the end was nowhere in sight. Though Sesshomaru assured her it was only a few hours more, her feet told her that a few hours could mean a figurative life or death. And with sore blisters and a sweaty back, the argument her feet were making suddenly sounded more logical than Sesshomaru's.

"I didn't sign up for this..." she grumbled, wincing with every step. Pain shot through her toes to her legs.

He frowned when he looked back to her, out of concern or distaste she wasn't sure, but he told her, "We will arrive in two more hours. Also, your shoes are not proper hiking boots, therefore it is only natural that they would give you blisters."

"Well doesn't that just solve this problem? Hold on a sec—let me just take my _proper_ hiking shoes out of my back pack and wear them right now. And if you'd known they weren't appropriate, you should've told me," she snapped at him.

He didn't respond out of courtesy; it was obvious she wasn't feeling well and he wouldn't take heed to the comment. Though, if anyone else had talked to him like that, they wouldn't be around to tell the tale. It seemed funny that he'd let her get away with yelling at him when he'd killed so many others for the very same crime.

The clouds seemed to part to let the heavens shine on Midoriko village when, and hour later, they caught a glimpse of the secluded town. Kagome straightened her spine and stopped complaining— an act which Sesshomaru told her was sorely failing—in order to appear less affected by the strenuous hike out. With a quick spray of rose scented perfume, they walked into the town and pretended that they hadn't just spent two and a half days without using a flushing toilet or shower.

"Hello," a crooked old woman walked to them and noticeably sized them up. "You are Sesshomaru-sama and his miko companion."

"That is correct," Sesshomaru surveyed the woman's outer appearance. She had a black eye patch, a cane, and walked with a limp but also the unmistakable air of authority. She was their village elder, the high miko Kaede.

Kaede peered at him through a narrowed eye, barely glanced over Kagome and turned on her heel. She began to walk, and motioned for them to follow. "We were expecting you."

Sesshomaru followed quietly, apparently humble enough to follow behind the old woman, Kagome noted with a mental growl. She was not pleased at all. _I certainly didn't come all the way out to kingdom come to be called_ _Sesshomaru's miko companion. I mean, what am I, his side kick? Robin to his Batman? Tonto to his Lone Ranger? This is outrageous._

Kaede led them into a small hut on the edge of the town and motioned for them to take a seat on the mat. Sesshomaru sat gracefully, full of purpose and confidence. Kagome, though, sat down roughly and crossed her arms ungratefully, annoyed that they'd have to conduct a business meeting before she bathed. She'd spotted a clean hot spring just outside the village and was dying to wash the layer of grime that had accumulated off her body.

"I am the elder miko Kaede, and as you know, Sesshomaru-sama, though we do not exterminate youkai, we have never had a good relationship with your community. You must be desperate to seek our help."

He met the old woman's gaze with ease and flawless resolve. "You are correct in observing that we require your assistance, Kaede-san, however the Youkai are not desperate. We are merely search for someone, and we have reason to believe she may be in your town."

The old woman narrowed her eye again, and set a pot of tea to boil on the fire. "Outsiders do not normally come to our village, and we have not brought someone in for nearly thirty years. Who do you think we harbor?"

He shook his head smoothly, his silky hair rustling. "She is not wanted for a crime. She is a human we think could help us with a different mission."

Kagome's forehead puckered as she noticed Sesshomaru was being vague when he spoke about their search for Naraku. Wouldn't it be in his best interest to tell the mikos to watch out for the dangerous hanyou, too? If the mikos knew that Naraku was out there… then surely 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend,' right? The miko population could be a useful ally, Kagome thought with confused suspicion.

"We're searching for the shikon miko," she stated, and rubbed her lips together as both Kaede and Sesshomaru stilled. For a pregnant pause, the room was intensely quiet, and it seemed as though even the fire was not brazen enough to crackle.

"The shikon… miko?" Kaede's voice was whispered, and her squinted eye slid over to meet Kagome's as if she was first noticing the girl.

"Yes." Her heart beat out an unsteady rhythm in her chest, blood rushing loudly in her ears.

"Well," Kaede shifted and took the pot off the fire, "Can't help you there. She's been dead for five hundred years."

"We know, but—"

"No buts!" Kaede's voice was sharp, "she'd not alive anymore. You're looking in the wrong place, you little half-formed miko. You should be looking to the spirits, not me."

Sesshomaru watched Kagome fumble for something else to say. He was curious as to why she had spoken up, and he was fairly angry she hadn't let him conduct the meeting, but had decided to see this to the end. He wanted to see how Kagome would handle herself.

"She was reincarnated," Kagome said quickly, trying to regain Kaede's attention. She rose so she was kneeling on her knees. "We are looking for her. Can you help us?"

Kaede touched her head, as if it were hurting. "Out. Get out!"

_Too far, I went too far_, she scolded herself. She'd felt like she'd needed to prove herself—angry because of the sidekick comment, but also the angry feelings of being treated like less than worthy by the youkai in the meetings were haunting her mind. And in her heart, she'd wanted to be appreciated, as if somehow Kaede could instinctually know that she was the shikon miko, and she was deserving of taking care of the great power that came with the job. She just wanted to show that she could do something right.

Kagome moved towards the door, with Sesshomaru following in suit, watching her closely. She touched the door, and spared the old woman one last glance_. All that work for nothing. I hiked out to the middle of nowhere for three damn days, and there's nothing Midorki village can help us with._ Kagome felt utterly useless, and if she weren't wallowing in self-pity, then she probably would've felt irritated.

"Not you," Kaede's shrill voice sounded in the air. Kagome whipped her head around and saw the old woman pouring two cups of tea by the fire. "Him. I want the youkai gone."

Kagome exchanged a glance with Sesshomaru. He nodded and walked out the door with a simple, "I will find sleeping arrangements for us."

Once the door had been secured shut, Kagome walked back over to her seat by the fire and examined Kaede. The old miko took a few sips of the tea and then passed Kagome her own cup. Hesitantly, Kagome took a sip and waited.

"This is a matter for mikos only. Youkai should know better than to ask about miko business."

Kagome furrowed her brow. She certainly didn't want Sesshomaru to feel how she felt during the meetings with the youkai council. No one should have to feel like an outcast. "It's his business too, for the record."

"Hush now," Kaede put a log on the fire, "the shikon miko was our miko. She's our responsibility, but that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

Kagome didn't bother to protest the change in conversation. It wasn't like she was actually searching for information on the shikon miko. She had all the information on her than anyone else on the earth, primarily because she was said miko.

"What do you think you're doing, hanging around with that youkai?"

"The mikos and youkai have no feuds going on anymore, so I don't see why it's a problem—"

"That's not what I'm talking about, girl. What's your relationship with him?"

Keeping her gaze level, Kagome held no embarrassment when she announced, "We're married."

Kaede laughed and finished off her tea. "Married. From the way you look at each other, you've never even been intimate. That's an odd case these days, indeed."

Kagome stared into her drink and tried not to blush. "That's personal."

Kaede's laugh sounded more like cackling than a real laugh. "And from the sound of it, you're still a maiden."

"Again, none of your concern."

"Actually," Kaede was suddenly serious, "I do think it's my job to warn young girls like you. You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"Yes, I really do—"

Kaede's eyes flashed. "Again, let me finish. You young things think you know what you're doing, but you have no idea. Youkai and humans were never supposed to mix. You could spend your life on this man, spend your best years with him, and he could leave you one day, without a care. An affair with you seems like a one night stand for him."

She paused, her eyes grim. "Their life spans are completely different from yours, and they aren't affected by emotions the same way humans are. I've seen it countless times…"

The old woman paused, "You must leave him before he takes your life away from you."

Kagome didn't want to talk about Sesshomaru anymore. Everything the old miko told her, she already knew. When we were married, we had decided that we wouldn't have a romantic relationship. I'm not entirely sure if the same rules apply now, but I knew and still know exactly what I'm getting myself into. When she had comforted herself by remembering that she knew more about her own life than Kaede did, she offered the woman a unsatisfactory response.

"I've already promised him my life," Kaede's eyes widened but Kagome continued smoothly, "So I don't have to worry about him taking it from me. I have my reasons why, and I'd appreciate it if you left it like that. Now, about the shikon miko…"

Kaede shrugged, her face suddenly seeming more wrinkled and tired. "She isn't from our village, if that's what you're asking. And don't talk about her, girl, because every time you say 'shikon miko' I get a head ache." Kagome wasn't sure if she was being serious, or just cranky, but the way the old woman was holding her head, suggested something really _was_ happening every time she spoke about, well, herself.

Kaede met Kagome's eyes, and an old, tired wisdom seemed to glimmer in hers. Taking a breath, Kaede pursed her lips and continued. "I'm not sure about this reincarnation business, but if I had to guess, I'd say you were her."

* * *

All Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

And for a P.S, sorry I didn't give Kaede an accent, but it didn't really make sense to give a woman living in a time period around the 21st century a 500 year old accent. Tell me what you think, and please enjoy. ~Gracie


	26. She Owes Him the Truth

Kagome stepped out of the old miko's house and released a long breath. After the tense hours she had spent with Kaede, she was beyond exhausted. They'd continued to speak for a long time after Kaede's accusation, which Kagome had brushed off as absurd. Then, she'd been told to clean various areas of the miko's house.

She suppressed as shudder and tried not to remember. Some of the food in the old miko's refrigerator was older than her.

"The girl dormitories are just around that building," a young girl had stepped in and out of Kaede's house without Kagome's notice. "Kaede-sama told me to escort you there."

"It's okay, really," Kagome smiled at the girl, "But I'd really like to find my husband, so we can find someplace to stay. Together."

The girl looked shocked. "Oh, no! You can't be with the youkai. It isn't respectable. You can stay in the female sleeping quarters, and he will stay at the male ones. We set them up just for single visitors like yourselves."

"I'm married to him." Kagome's voice was monotone, trying to find a way into the teenager's thick skull.

Smiling once more, the girl nodded. "Sure you are. But you're going to be staying there, just around that corner."

And of course, at Midoriko village, visitors could not oppose village rules. Youkai and humans were separated, and that was final.

* * *

Late at night, Kagome crept out of the female sleeping quarters. With her thrumming heart beat as her only comfort, she broke the biggest rule that Kaede had established for her: not to go out at night without a supervisor. Kaede had said there were dangerous things in the forest, and with the dormitory so close to the woods, such a rule was even more important. Kagome wasn't worried though. She'd slept in those woods the past few nights, and nothing had happened.

Sneaking past the male dormitories, she fluffed her hair a few times, in hopes that Sesshomaru would scent her and come visit. She hadn't seen him after he had left Kaede's, and for a reason she couldn't quite put her finger on, she wanted to see him. She stood behind the building near an old water trough, and when he appeared moments later, she surmised with a smile that he had wanted to see her too.

"It's not safe for you to be alone outside," he raised an eyebrow, waiting for her reply.

Covering her quick smile, she mumbled, "Hi, how are you? I'm doing fine thank you. And I have nothing to fear out here; I don't know what the big fuss is about being outside at night."

"These woods are covered in spider-youkai." When he saw her confused look, he added, "The only reason you were safe before, was because I was with you, and you weren't in a densely populated area. This village attracts many uncivilized youkai because of its size."

After a short beat, she laughed. "Yeah, I'd be fine. I could take some itty-bitty spider any day."

"The spider youkai are roughly the size of the average grown man."

She shut up. "That big?"

At his nod, she sighed. "Okay, yeah, it'd be a bit tricky, but I'd be fine. I'm a miko, remember? I could purify you right here, right now, if I really wanted to."

His answer was short, not amused at her playful manner, courting danger. "You are not nearly powerful enough to do that."

With another shrug, she dropped the topic, still not ready to tell him that in truth, the shikon miko had enough power to purify anyone she damn well wanted to.

Their silence was comfortable, two companions sharing the night, watching the stars above their head. She studied the stars, and then the stripes on his cheeks, the odd thought wondering if his stripes continued to anywhere special, suddenly at the forefront of her mind.

When Sesshomaru broke the silence, Kagome's attention shifted to more northern regions of his body, as she met his eyes. "What did Kaede have to say about the shikon miko?"

"Excuse me?" She blushed hotly, embarrassed at her own mind, and praying that he hadn't suddenly developed the ability to read her mind.

"The miko we have come here to inquire about?" His smirk told all.

"Oh—um—she's not here. Not a chance. No one here who could possibly be her."

He frowned. "You spoke with her for a long time. What did you converse about?"

Kagome closed her eyes, trying not to remember. After being quizzed on her marriage and life goals, Kaede had lectured her on the differences between youkai and humans. Differences that she had, similar to the entire human population, already been acquainted with.

"Just stuff… And then she had me do chores for her after that. I ate dinner with her and then… yeah that was about it."

His eyes were shadowed when she met them. He turned his gaze towards the sky once more and she was felt to feel guilty. He was far too proud to ask her again, and she was taking advantage of it. Of course, she reassured herself, he wouldn't want to know that she'd just spent hours being told several different ways to escape their marriage, the most common way being to kill him in his sleep.

"I've got to go now," she whispered. When his gaze flickered to hers as an acknowledgement that he'd heard her, she kissed him. It was a sweet kiss, one that promised happiness and more, and as he watched her run away, he found himself wanting.

* * *

As quietly as she could, Kagome entered the female dormitories. A creaky floorboard here, a noisy door hinge there, but she was as silent as possible. Resuming her futon next to a miko named Jen who was studying abroad, Kagome though she'd managed to pull off her little endeavor successfully.

"You may not be her, but you certainly have a part of her in you." Kaede's scratchy voice rang in Kagome's ears as she jumped out of her, her hands covering the soundless scream in her mouth.

The old miko chuckled quietly at Kagome's distress. "Yes, you definitely are the next shikon miko. There's no denying it."

"How can you tell?" Kagome's horrified whisper was barely audible. Kaede continued on, as if she hadn't heard her.

"Oh, the Taisho brothers. So powerful, so strong; alike, yet not at all. There's always a spot for them in the shikon's heart. And the shikon miko? She is the jewel embodied."

Kaede's footsteps moved away from the sleeping chamber, but Kagome continued to hear her words until dawn break. _I've been found out._

* * *

They set out for home late in the day, much to Sesshomaru's dissatisfaction. He had hoped to fly home in one day, now that it didn't matter if Kagome was independent on not, but she'd taken so much time with the old miko, that it wasn't a possibility anymore.

Kagome's mind had been spiraling in unknown circles for the longest time. She was still confused about what Kaede had said, but she knew one thing definitely had to happen now that Kaede knew. She had to tell Sesshomaru the truth.

He had noticed how odd she was acting. The messy, hurried glances she sent his way every few minutes. The way she'd comb her hair quickly if he returned one. Her staring wasn't the thing that bothered him—he had grown accustomed to her eyes on him, and vice versa—but the way she wouldn't continue staring, was what set him off. She wasn't embarrassed when he caught her watching now—she would merely smile at him, and then resume staring.

He frowned as they took flight, the sun low in the sky. "Do you have something you wish to tell me?"

"No," she gulped, and observed the scenery to keep her eyes busy and unable to stray.

"How peculiar. You love to hear the sound of your voice."

"What?!" She whipped her head around, "Take that back! I only talk when I need to! I'm _not_ a chatterbox."

His signature eyebrow raise made her rethink her words.

"Oh, shut up. I have to make up for all the talking you don't do." Pursing her lips, she couldn't help but add, "And it's a tough job, believe me."

Sesshomaru snorted, a mute thought flickering through his mind that he was glad she had started acting normal again.

But it didn't last. As the sun began to set, they stopped to make camp, and Kagome could feel her stomach constricting with nerves. She had to tell him.

As she began to boil a pot of water for some noodles, she mulled over her ideas. She could either a—tell him, or b—not say anything. But, she admitted, he was bound to find out sooner or later.

_And it can't wait_, she scolded herself. _I've known this was his mission, or whatever, for several weeks. Every day that passes makes my crime worse. I should've told him a long time ago…_

And with a reassuring breath, she suddenly felt like she could. If she just opened her heart and mind to the idea…

Kikyo's sudden, sharp movement alerted Kagome. She saw an assortment of colors in her vision as she looked out at the campsite she_ thought_ she'd just been standing in, and felt her body sway. The earth didn't really feel like it was under her feet anymore…

The intense beating of Kikyo's soul against hers made Kagome feel like she was losing her grip on reality. The pot of water she'd been holding had long since slipped, and the water had poured over her feet, but she could barely feel it. The world seemed so distant from her messy thoughts, as if one was a dream. In the world outside her mind she could make out Sesshomaru's figure approaching hers…

_There's something I need to tell him!_ Her mind yelled over the violent pounding of Kikyo's soul. _And_ _what's wrong with her?_

"Sesshomaru—I'm the—" Her voice sounded muffled, as if she were underwater. Her mind was still spinning, but she could faintly feel the touch of Sesshomaru's arms closing around her body…

And then, with rapt clarity, Kagome was being hoisted out of Sesshomaru's arms by someone else.

_Kagome! When you open your heart to admitting you're the shikon miko—it's like you become a beacon of light! Every demon close to you will be drawn to your location! Be careful, please!_ Kiyko's worried voice, a sound that Kagome thought she'd never hear again, was filling her mind.

"So, Sesshomaru. It seems you've brought me the shikon miko…" A grotesque voice found its way to Kagome's ears, and she felt Naraku's hot breath by her ear.

* * *

Oh, wow, I really hope that last part made sense. It was sort of dream-like...? I guess that's what you get when the author gets really lazy because she's had a million and one things to do... Just give me a week, and I'll be back to writing more regularly than once a week. (Gah, sorry I'm so slow!) Hope you enjoyed, if the last part really doesn't make sense, please tell me! I'll gladly fix it. ~Gracie

All Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi


	27. Cold Shoulder

Kagome stopped breathing and tried to assess the situation that was getting way out of control, and fast. Craning her neck, she struggled to see Sesshomaru. _This is bad. Really bad..._

Firstly, Naraku had just captured her. And if that wasn't reason enough to be scared, he had told Sesshomaru about her dirty little secret. And then lastly, she couldn't even see Sesshomaru, let alone his expression, to assess how bad her situation had just soured.

Elbowing Naraku in the gut, Kagome determined that if she must be the maiden in distress, she certainly would put up a fight. This was Naraku. The embodiemnt of evil, of greed, and she knew more about him than anyone else in the world. He'd been Kikyo's burden-and therefore hers too. She'd inherited Kikyo's task to rid the world of him. Though she had barely just learned he'd been reincarnated too, (which if she had listened to Kikyo and properly trained herself instead of eating chips in front of the t.v. all through her young life, she would have been more prepared to meet him...) she still needed to put up some sort of a fight.

As she wriggled in Naraku's grasp, Sesshomaru came into her line of sight and she watched him jump into flight and take her from the evil hanyou. Smooth as ever, he plunged his sword into one of the hanyou's arms and plucked her from the other. They reached the ground and he set her down next to their camp fire. He turned from her, giving Kagome little thought and refocused his attention back on Naraku.

Kagome turned too, and caught her first glimpse of Naraku in her lifetime. He had half the body of a spider-youkai, with eight long spindle-thin legs and an abdomen that bled into a normal human chest. His body was a gross, sickly white color and the spider part of him was covered in tiny, coarse hairs not dissimilar to the ones on an actual spider. His face held a sickening smile, a touch of insanity brushing his eyes and she gasped.

"That's not Naraku," her whisper met unresponsive ears.

Without batting an eyelash, Sesshomaru jumped into the trees and plunged his sword through the enemy. When the blade met his skin, Kagome watched in morbid fascination as no blood left the open wound. For a still moment, no one made a move until the imposter-Naraku smiled and disappeared. As the body vanished, it left a doll staked at the end of Sesshomaru's sword. Without pausing, Sesshomaru detached the wooden figure and leapt down to the ground from his perch in the trees.

* * *

Their flight back was a quiet and awkward affair. Sesshomaru remained intensely silent and focused, leaving Kagome little room to do much else besides watch the clouds pass them by. Any and all attempts on conversation were quickly dashed.

"That doll Naraku sent was pretty fast for being just a wooden figure, don't you think?" She leaned so she was in his field of vision, but his eyes refused to meet hers. Rubbing her lips together, she frowned at him.

"How'd you figure out that it wasn't Naraku?" She had tried again minutes later. Her curiosity of the situation was piqued on all levels-she knew what Naraku looked like because she had Kikyo's memories, but to her knowledge, Sesshomaru had never dealt with him.

Sesshomaru, though, was proving to be as sociable as a rock. When she spoke once more he extended his arm and motioned for her to pause, as if he were listening carefully. She shut up instantly, and when he seemed satisfied he resumed their flight.

"What were you listening for?" She inquired, her tone light and soft.

He stopped their flight mid-air once more, and then continued when she'd silenced herself. _So it's me... He wants me to be quiet. _Her thoughts led her to no comfort.

* * *

When they returned to their hotel late in the afternoon of the next day, Kagome felt like she was going crazy. She hadn't spoken to anyone in a day, and she could feel the effects of being so restrained, trying not to bother Sesshomaru and not talking. Their atmosphere had been heavy, to say the least.

And for every growing second that Sesshomaru refused to talk to her, Kagome's guilt grew. It was all her fault. Everything. Kikyo'd been the one to start the fight with Naraku, and it was Kagome's duty now to finish it. She knew that. But instead, she'd been lazing around sending Sesshomaru and practically half the youkai population on a wild goose chase, knowing full well what had happened to the shikon miko. It had been her decision to keep that vital little piece of information, and she deserved every moment she felt bad.

Or at least, she felt like she should feel like that.

Sighing, Kagome collapsed on the bed and snuggled up to one of the pillows. Keeping her eyes slightly open, she watched Sesshomaru take his place in a chair opposite the bed. He had papers in his hands that he was reading, but his frosty demeanor didn't fool Kagome for a second. He was still giving her the cold shoulder.

He wouldn't sleep next to her at night, that was for sure.

* * *

Morning arrived at an unbearably slow pace, and before the sun even rose, the Taishos were out of their room and at the head quarters. Sesshomaru had been up all night scheduling meetings and flights, and Kagome had slept little, her unease evident in her expression. She was dreading this final meeting with the youkai of the country, where she would have to admit, in her shame, that she was the shikon miko they had been searching for. To say that she would be embarrassed beyond belief was an understatement.

When they reached the room at the top floor, Kagome began to move towards the door, but Sesshomaru stopped her. He pointed to a smaller, less prominent door to the right of the meeting room.

"Excuse me?" She wasn't sure whether she should be relieved that he would be explaining the situation to the prejudiced youkai or offended that he thought she couldn't hold her own against them.

His gold eyes bore into hers, bearing no resemblance to the warm eyes he'd had but a few days ago. The difference made her heart chill. _Exactly how deeply did my deception affect him?_

"I don't speak silence," she stated calmly, "could you please rephrase that for me?"

His jaw was tight as her moved and opened the smaller door for her. "You aren't allowed to play with the powerful youkai anymore, wench."

His message was clear enough, and she narrowed her eyes at him while she entered the smaller room. The door was shut firmly behind her.

Her own jaw set firmly, she sat down next to the thin wall separating the two rooms and held her ear to it. Luckily for her, she could make out distinct sounds like a door shutting and a firm growl, so she plugged her other ear and focused.

"There's been a change in plans, gentlemen," she heard Sesshomaru's voice faintly in the room next to hers.

A tap on her shoulder interrupted her hearing for a moment. She brushed the hand next to her shoulder away, thinking little of it. She _had_ to hear what Sesshomaru was saying.

"...So we can't use her that way..." Sesshomaru's voice was quieter and she could make out only a little.

A cleared throat across the room she was in startled Kagome, and she turned her head to finally see who was there.

The room had white washed walls and hard wood flooring, with little furniture. There were several people in the room, Kagome counted five men and one woman. They were all oddly spread out around the room; some sitting in the few chairs, some standing, but everyone was watching Kagome. The woman next to her, who was kneeling down, had been the one to tap on Kagome's shoulder.

"Hi," she held out a clawed hand to Kagome, "My name's Leola. I assume you're Kagome?"

Kagome nodded, suspicion in her eyes. She leaned against the wall once more but only heard a loud, muffled noise. It was obvious the youkai had begun arguing amongst themselves, and she wouldn't find any more information there.

Leola smiled at Kagome when she finally shook her hand. Leola had smooth tan skin, black wavy hair and two ears atop her head marking her status as a lion hanyou. Her smile was winning, though, as it wasn't customary for adult hanyou to be pleasant to be around, due to the era they were raised in.

"I'm going to be your trainer. Once we get back to the city, you and me are going to have four-hour workouts every day until you can fight like a pro." She pulled Kagome up so she was standing and smiled again. "We'll get to know each other really well, so.. what was that phrase again..." she mumbled, and then brightened,  
"Please take care of me!"

Leola's accent and features marked her as a foreigner, but her Japanese was as good as fluent. Kagome smiled and tried to remain pleasant. what was this about _four hour_ long workouts?

Seeing her confusion, Leola happily filled her in. "Since we all know you're the shikon miko, we've got to train you properly so you can fight Naraku. This guy over here," she pulled a human from the crowd of youkai, "will be your spiritual director!"

The man smiled softly and shook her hand. His voice was surprisingly deep when he introduced himself. "I'm Hayate Yoshida. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kagome Higurashi."

Kagome didn't bother to correct him about her last name. "Are you a monk?"

Hayate laughed and scratched the back of his neck. "Well, no, but I know so much about spiritual powers I might as well be. I'm the best they could find on such short notice."

Leola grinned. "Don't you worry, Mrs. Taisho! We'll have you ready to fight even Lord Sesshomaru himself, by the time we're through with you. You can count on us!"

Kagome tried to smile back, but her thoughts were so heavy she found she couldn't. She really wasn't in the mood to talk. Just as she was about to excuse herself, Leola glanced at her phone and let out a small gasp.

"Oh, woah! I didn't realize it was this late. I've got to go now, or I'll miss my flight. Bye, Kagome-san, I'll see you soon," Leola's goodbye followed by Hayate's departure left Kagome at ease.

Glancing around the room, Kagome was about to sit down next to the wall again when she spotted familiar white hair. She moved a couple steps closer, and she peered upon Inuyasha, sitting alone in a chair by the window.

I owe him an explanation, her stomach twisted again, filling with guilt again. He was the person most affected by her secret. She watched his ears perk up at her soft footsteps, and when his eyes met hers... Her heart constricted. She'd never seen so much despair.

"Oh, Inuyasha..."

He looked away from her and out the window again.

She swallowed a lump in her throat. "I'm so sorry... I..." Words would never make up for her deceit.

They were silent for a long time. People filed in and out of the room, but Kagome continued to watch the anguished hanyou by the window. Kikyo's soul was a quiet hum against her won, making Kagome feel all the more sorry. Finally, after what had felt like hours, the room was empty.

"Inuyasha, please let me explain..."

When he turned around again, his eyes were even more weary than before. "Kikyo?"

"No," she shook her head, her eyes full of unshed tears, "I'm not Kikyo's reincarnation."

"But you're the shikon miko." Kagome and Kikyo alike hated how soulless his expression was.

"I'm the new shikon miko, different form Kikyo, but with the same responsibilities."

"I can feel her," his voice was so soft, so fragile. So different from the brash, uncouth but loveable man in Kikyo's memories. "Why'd you marry Sesshomaru? I loved you..."

"I'm not Kikyo, Inuyasha. She loved you-loves you too."

He remained solemn, and Kagome found she could bear the weight of his sadness no longer. With a comforting nudge from Kikyo's soul, Kagome scolded Inuyasha. "So yes, Kikyo loves you. I know that more than anything. But she loved the strong, brave protector she once knew, not the depressed, pathetic hanyou you are now."

His eyes flashed and he growled. "Oh yeah? Well she can kiss my ass 'cause she's dead and had no say on how I live my life." His face broke, and he began to say, "She's dead, and that's why..."

"Inuyasha, listen to me," Kagome rubbed her lips together and frowned, "everyone is going to die at some point. You have to do your job as one of the living and make your life worth something. Get your act together, buddy."

Kagome made a move to leave the room so Inuyasha had time to think about what she said, but decided to place a kiss on his forehead before she exited. Whispering in his ear, she murmured, "But more than anything, Kikyo wants to see you be happy."

She turned on her heel and hoped that Inuyasha could come to terms with everything that had happened in his life. Now, though, it was time for Kagome to fix her own.

* * *

Hi, all! Hope you liked that chapter (It took me forever to form it properly... oh the woes of writing :) ~Gracie

All Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi


	28. Overdue Honesty

The flight ride home was excruciatingly awkward. Sesshomaru, who was still mad, had decided they would fly with the mortals in a simple plane, instead of his jet. Yes, they were flying first class, but Kagome noted with a bit of irritation and sadness that he had planned it so they wouldn't be sitting next to each other.

Though it had been decided that Kagome would pick Rin up the following day, an hour after Kagome arrived home, she drove to Miroku and Sango's house in search of someone to talk to. With a quick knock on the door, Sango's face appeared on the other side.

"Kagome?" Sango opened the door with an eyebrow raised. "What are you doing here?"

Kagome could barely keep the brimming tears in her eyes from spilling down. With one look at her, Sango dragged her into the living room. "What's wrong?"

So Kagome told her.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Sango collapsed on her couch, her body going slack. Kagome was sitting on the floor, her cheeks raw with dried tears. She had told her best friend everything. All of the things she'd kept a secret her whole life—about Kikyo, about the shikon miko and Sesshomaru—everything. She rubbed a dry eye and waited for her friend's response.

Sango didn't say anything for minutes. When Kagome couldn't stand the silence any longer, she whispered, "Sango?"

Her best friend's eyes flashed when they met her own. "Would you please talk to me?" Kagome pleaded.

"Talk to you? Now? After all these years?" Sango groaned and covered her face with her arm, "How could you keep this from me?"

Rubbing her lips together, Kagome whimpered. Oh Kami, how it hurt to finally come clean with Sango. Looking back on her life, she wondered how she could have lived with so many secrets each day. Or _why_ she had lived like that.

"I'm sure you feel really sorry now, Kagome." Sango rose from her seat on the couch, her expression displaying her anger. "I understand why Sesshomaru's so angry, though I have more of a right to be than him."

"What?" Kagome could only mumble.

"I mean, think about it!" Sango hissed, "We've known each other since middle school, and you're only telling me about this now?! All those times we swore we had no secrets—you were lying!"

Sango whipped her head around when another thought occurred to her. "How long has Miroku known?"

Kagome's eyes widened with surprise and then shame. "Speaking of Miroku… did he go somewhere with Rin?"

"They went to the amusement park," Sango answered automatically and then frowned. "Don't think you can change the conversation like that! I deserve answers."

"Since we were kids… I don't really remember…" Her gaze dropped to the floor, Kagome spoke softly, "I am so sorry. I really am beyond being sorry, Sango. I shouldn't have kept this from you—or him."

"So then why did you?" Sango snapped back after Kagome's heartfelt apology. She wasn't ready to forgive her friend yet.

She shrugged. "It wasn't my secret to tell."

"Don't give me that bull."

Kagome met her friend's gaze. "It's the truth. Kikyo didn't think it was a good idea for me to tell you when I was younger, and after we stopped talking… I didn't really think about it after that."

"Not even when your father died?" Sango winced inwardly, but didn't back down.

"It wasn't the first thing on my mind, Sango. I'm sure you can understand that." Kagome's tone was fierce, but her heart was breaking.

"What about after?" Sango countered, arms crossed, poised for war. "You just told me Kikyo is ever present next to your soul. It didn't even occur to you once to tell your best friend?" Though she looked as strong as a youkai-slayer, her voice quavered giving away her emotional condition. She was devastated.

"How could you keep this from me...?" Sango whispered, but then resumed her warrior-like stance. The women watched each other warily, both too stubborn to give up.

Until Kagome sighed, and looked away from Sango's glare. She was sorry, and regretted keeping such a big part of her life from Sango, but she didn't want this fight to continue on. She knew a fight now would only make things worse for later, and she loved Sango too much to be willing to give up on their friendship. They'd gotten through tough spots before, and Kagome wouldn't let this be the exception to the rule.

When they were silent for a long time, Sango decided that watching her friend beat herself up over some secret wasn't making her feel any better, she sighed.

"Fine, I get it. I forgive you." Sango walked over to Kagome, who was still sitting on the floor and helped pull her up into a hug. "I've had my own fair share of secrets—And by the way, the boy I said I met in summer camp during tenth grade and dated for three months was a complete lie. I made it up to keep Yuka off my case and never told you the truth!"

"What?!" Kagome shrieked with laughter after a moment of happiness at Sango's ready forgiveness. They walked into the kitchen and started a fresh batch of tea as Kagome's tears dried.

"Yup," Sango laughed, "But I'm not even going to begin on the secrets Miroku and I have kept from you." With a soft touch on Kagome's shoulder, Sango added seriously, "I'm sorry for the Dad comment. That was completely uncalled for and downright cruel of me."

Kagome sighed, a light smile on her face. "Thank you," she breathed, calm and relieved. Maybe there was some hope, after all.

Sango placed cups on the counter, but with a quick look at Kagome, she frowned. "Oh, now don't you start that."

"What?"

Sango rolled her eyes. "You're such a martyr. Don't start acting like this is the world's biggest secret and it can't ever be reconciled. _Please_, there are so many worse things out there, and one little reincarnated spirit is the least of those problems."

"What?" Kagome repeated, and raised an eyebrow, happy that they had effortlessly returned to their quick banter.

"You've been worried that Sesshomaru's never going to forgive you, right?"

"Well shouldn't I? I mean—"

"Stop right now," Sango pursed her lips; already guessing which track Kagome's mind had gone down. With her friend's stress because of the arranged marriage and the position she now had to fit into in society as an elite wife, she had obviously been suppressing her real personality. _That has been changing lately, but she's bounced back to being quiet and completely not herself. _

"Don't forget—Sesshomaru has his own explaining to do." Sango make a tsking noise and reached for the tea bags.

Frowning in thought, Kagome remembered what she had told Sango. _He said something about changing the plans…_ "You think that his talk with the other youkai was important?"

"So important," Sango leaned in, "that he couldn't even have you present. He's hiding something, Kagome."

She blinked and then narrowed her eyes with a devilish lift of her eyebrow. "And just because I was hiding something from him… doesn't mean it's okay for him to hide something from me, ne?"

Sango's smirk encouraged her curiosity.

* * *

I'd just like to say a special thanks for all the wonderful reviews my story has been getting. I love them all! Hope you enjoyed this chapter ~Gracie

All Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	29. Tête-à-Tête

When Kagome arrived home there was a note waiting for her on the kitchen cupboard. Placing the keys on the counter and her purse on the chair, she picked it up to read.

_You missed your first meeting with Leola this afternoon. Such behavior is unacceptable._

Sesshomaru's penmanship was flawless, as expected. She frowned and crumpled the note in her hand, shooting it into the garbage. _It wasn't like he told me when the meeting was…_

As she walked down the hallway to her bedroom, she saw that the door to his room was opened slightly with light flooding out. Pausing outside, she recollected all her feelings and prepared herself for apologizing to Sesshomaru. Kagome wasn't absolutely sure how he would react due to the way he'd been so offended by her secret, but she was positive on one thing: it wasn't going to be pretty.

Knocking lightly on the door, she stepped in. "Sesshomaru?"

He was sitting in a chair by his bed, reading, and didn't bother to look up when she entered. Kagome cleared her throat once in a second attempt to gain his attention. When he remained silent, she took action.

"I'm sorry."

He turned the page of his book and resumed reading.

_For the love of_—she stilled her anger. _One more time. I'll try once more_. "I shouldn't have kept something so important from you, and I regret it. I apologize."

When he blatantly ignored her, she narrowed her eyes at him. Approaching his with a steady glare, one that she was sure he could feel because of the daggers she was shooting, Kagome ripped the book out of his hands.

"Excuse me, where I come from people look at each other when they talk!"

His eyes lazily shifted over to meet hers. "Silence yourself."

"Oh, give me a break!" She threw her hands up in an exasperated motion. "You're being childish. It was _one _secret."

"One secret can change fate. The importance of such things aren't weighed upon the _quantity_, but the _quality_." He hissed back.

"So suddenly you treat me like dirt because of this _one thing_?" She didn't attempt to hide her frown.

"People have been killed for lesser offenses to my person."

"Well then, thank you, Lord Sesshomaru, for sparing This Kagome," she sneered.

"Honesty is important to me." His gaze met her squarely, and she found her heart stinging a bit. She valued honesty too… how could she have forgotten something so vital?

"And I'm really sorry," she said softly after a moment, her anger briefly subsiding.

"About not being honest? Or that you were found out?" He raised an aloof eyebrow.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she ground out, "but I did try, several times."

"Enlighten me," his patronizing tone was more than she could handle.

"You're not exactly approachable, Sesshomaru," she snapped. "You're rude, arrogant and downright snobbish sometimes, so it's obvious to anyone with eyes why I wouldn't want to tell you!"

They glared some more until Kagome added, "And you're reaction to my secret proves my worries were justified. It's not like you've made this easy for me!"

Her powers electrified the air, battling with his youki, which had been uncharacteristically out of control the entire evening.

"You haven't made life easy for this one either," he said dryly. She narrowed her eyes, and he elaborated.

"You promised to be beneficial to my life—yet you have caused me many troubles. Explaining that your wife is the shikon miko that you have been searching for to uncivilized youkai is not an advantageous aspect for this one's life."

She grimaced but didn't answer, so he advanced. "I want answers, miko."

She pursed her lips together. "On why I didn't tell you?" Turning her back to him so she wouldn't have to see his face, she crossed her arms.

"Correct."

"Well, obviously because I knew you'd react badly. Exactly how you did."

"There are other reasons that you do not wish to tell this Sesshomaru." He growled, his anger rendering him weak to his old-fashioned speech. She dully noted how he had been switching between his modern speech and traditional the whole night, which was evidence enough to testify how deeply their fight meant to him.

Kagome bit her lip, and sighed, deflating a bit. Baring her heart, she whispered, "You don't know what it's like, Sesshomaru. To be compared to someone…"

She turned around to search for his eyes. When she met them, they were filled with unguarded interest, and maybe, just maybe, a fraction of the warmth they had held before. "I'm not Kikyo's reincarnation—I'm someone completely different, but it's not the easiest relationship to understand. Was it so selfish of me to want you to get to know me as Kagome Higurashi, regular girl instead of Kagome, the amazing shikon miko Kikyo's quirky replacement?"

Sesshomaru watched his wife's azure eyes study him, trying to gauge his next action. When he said nothing, but continued to contemplate what she had said, she sighed again.

"I was wrong, I know, but remember, you're not perfect either."

That caught his attention. "Your facts are not correct. This one is perfect."

She shook her head. "Not even sort of. Let's not mention the flaws in your personality, but Sesshomaru, I'd like to ask you a few questions on your meeting with the other youkai. What was so important that I couldn't listen in on?"

Sesshomaru had been slowly approaching her as she spoke, but stilled what she finished her sentence. Briefly reining in his emotions, he straightened and moved over to her. "Nothing of your concern."

His hand lifted to touch her face, but she leaned away, her brow furrowed. "What do you mean by that? I'm the shikon miko—the one we've been searching for. Why _shouldn't_ I be in on all the important meetings?"

Rubbing her lips together, she found more unanswered questions. "And why did you even want the shikon miko in the first place? I thought it was for information, but you seem to know as much, if not more, information than I do… So why the fascination?"

She stepped away from him, more confusion clouding her eyes. "Yeah, yeah that's right," she nodded, ideas blossoming and connecting together in her mind. "Why wasn't I in that meeting the other day? I should've been helping you guys plot something, helping you out as much as I could because_ I'm _the shikon miko. This doesn't add up! And what was the change in plan that you were talking about?!"

Sesshomaru blinked, seemingly stunned, but then frowned.

"While you rant, this Sesshomaru would like to point out that he still has unanswered questions about your meeting with Kaede." He avoided her questions with a poised statement.

"For your information," Kagome switched her focus, "she was _warning_ me about you."

"Hn." Sesshomaru couldn't stop his eyes from narrowing.

"That's right! I'll have you know," her glare rivaled his in intensity, "many people have told me you'd be no good to me. They all said I should get away… but I didn't run. No, I stayed to fight. And look where that got me."

His silence only fueled her anger once again. "I think—"

A phone vibrated on Sesshomaru's desk. Without a glance behind, Sesshomaru's poison whip disintegrated it mid-buzz. His eyes were burning bright when he called for her attention.

"Continue."

Kagome's dumbfounded expression was refreshing after her passionate anger. "Why?"

"I would like to hear."

"My complaints?"

"Hn."

She stopped herself from asking for his motives once more. "I just wish you would…" She sighed. Sesshomaru was Sesshomaru, and while she might be able to change small parts of him, his personality was like steel. And she liked him for that. _I wouldn't dream of transforming Sesshomaru, but I think development is a possibility._

Taking him for a turn, she softly asked, "Why were you so mad at me?"

His response was not immediate, but it was worth so much to her. "This one supposes… I suppose it was not only that you had been false, but also that I was deceived."

Sunlight touched the treetops close to their house but Kagome barely noticed. All that mattered to her was the man standing across from her, looking at her as if he'd never trusted another person as much as he trusted her, uncertainty of their future together rolling off each other in waves… and it was all perfect.

"Thank you." And suddenly, Seshomaru found her smile to be a reward far greater than all the power and prestige he'd earned over his years.

* * *

So they made up, and now we can get on to the plot! Hope you enjoyed ~Gracie

All Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi


	30. Home

Only minutes after she left Sesshomaru's room, Kagome was out the door and driving towards Sango and Miroku's to fetch Rin—without a single hour of sleep. After half fighting and half making up with Sesshomaru the whole night, she hadn't found a chance to take even the smallest of cat naps. She hadn't showered either, so with a quick smirk, she rolled the windows of her car down and hoped her deodorant masked any scent issues she could possibly encounter.

Rin was excited and completely packed, waiting not-so-patiently for Kagome in the driveway when she reached Sango and Miroku's. They had briefly seen each other when Kagome was talking with Sango the night before, but she'd sent Rin up to bed to be a guest at their cousin's house one more night because of the late hour.

Stepping out of the car, Kagome smiled at Rin and Miroku, who was lounging on a chair on the front porch.

"Hi Kaggie!" Rin shouted and ran to Kagome's open arms.

"Hey, Rin. I missed you too." With one last squeeze Kagome set her sister on the ground. "How has your week been?"

"It's been more than a week," Rin reminded, and then grinned widely, "but I've had so much fun! Miroku and I worked for a long time, and I got to see lots of pretty women try on pretty clothes! Miroku says when I'm older I can wear that stuff too for a special occasion!"

Kagome flashed Miroku a look and hoped that anything Rin saw went over her head. When Miroku shrugged with a devilish smile, Kagome entertained the idea. "Maybe when you're older, who knows? Nonetheless," she scowled once more at Miroku, "you probably won't return anytime soon..."

Rin pouted until Miroku slyly interjected. "Naturally beggars can't be choosers, so Rin is welcome at my little slice of heaven anytime Kagome springs her upon us without a proper warning."

Rolling her eyes, Kagome picked up Rin's bags and loaded the car. With a grateful nod to Miroku she bid her goodbyes and told Rin, "Okay, sweetheart, let's go home."

Beaming, Rin kissed her cousin on the cheek and hopped into the car. "I bet Jaken-san missed me. He likes to play princess dress up with me on Fridays, you know. And on Saturdays we draw some pictures, but we do that every other day too..."

Rin began to ramble as Kagome quickly checked the clock in the car and began to drive. She had a half hour until her workout with Leola, and she definitely didn't want to be late after her not showing up at all for the last one. She didn't want Leola to have a bad impression of her.

* * *

"Hi Kagome, glad to see you're right on time," Leola smiled at Kagome as she ran into the building, with not a minute to spare. She took a few deep breaths and nodded to say hello.

"We're going to work in this portion of the gym today. Weights are a great way to start off." Leola chattered on, half professional and half casual as she led Kagome through the gym.

They walked to the back corner of the weight room, which was filled with men and women alike covered in sweat, and filled with a determination that Kagome seemed to lack. She eyed their corner, which was suspiciously filled with both small and big weights. There was no way she could lift like the others, and if Leola thought she could, than she was crazy.

"So we're going to start with these ten pound weights and you're just going to do some squats like this." she demonstrated and Kagome frowned. _That's it?_

A hundred squats later Kagome wasn't in the same frame of mind. She thought that she might as well be in an entirely different universe of thought, because these 'simple' exercises felt like torture. Kagome wasn't unfit, per say, but she certainly was no Leola.

"Okay, let's do another round! We're young, we're beautiful, and our thighs are singing!" Leola chanted as she performed the exercise with Kagome.

Kagome groaned. The last time she'd believed Leola's mantra was ten rounds ago. With another shaky squat, Kagome straightened and asked politely, "Maybe it's time for a new exercise?"

Leola blinked at her, nearly shocked, and then smiled. "Let's do one more set, and then we'll move on."

As Kagome lifted the weights in both her hands simultaneously as she bent down, she wondered if the reason a hanyou like Leola stayed so chipper was because she'd taken refuge in something like exercise, instead of being sheltered. It puzzled her to no end how Leola remained so happy all the time when most hanyou her age had been raised in harsh conditions, no matter how protective their parents were. Thus was the youkai way of life.

When Leola wiped her brow and decided it was time to change tactics, Kagome nearly collapsed with relief. But as Leola led her over to heavier weights, her happiness subsided, and she blanched.

"Umm... Leola?"

The instructor brightened at the sound of her name. "Yes?"

"I'm not sure I can lift something like that. It's too... large."

"Nonsense. You're stronger than you think, Kagome," Leola scoffed. "Just try it. There's no fault in an honorable attempt."

Kagome rubbed her lips together, but then nodded. Placing her hands on the bar that connected the two weights on each end, she managed to lift it a fraction of a foot.

"Great job," Leola smile. "Now use your arm muscles, thighs and plant your feet into the ground so you can tell that dumbbell who's boss!"

Kagome huffed and did as she said, meriting better results. Somehow, her enthusiastic instructor was right. She actually _was_ able to lift the weight.

When they were nearing the end of the lesson, Leola gave Kagome a five minute break to relax and start cooling off. More than relieved and grateful, Kagome walked over to the bench where she had placed her belongings and grabbed her water bottle.

"Small sips! Don't guzzle that water," Leola reminded her as she drank from her own water bottle.

Sifting through her bag, Kagome searched for her phone so she could check the time. When she reached it, the screen was lit up, announcing she had a waiting text message. Clicking on it, she noticed it was from Hayate.

_Sorry can't make the lesson today. Let's take a rain check._

She frowned and took another sip of her water. It was pretty unprofessional of him to bail on their first lesson, but then again she had done the same to Leola, so she was in no place to judge.

Kagome shot him a quick text telling him they could meet tomorrow at the same time and turned to Leola. "Do you know Hayate well?"

The hanyou pursed her lips together and hummed. "Not really. I met him the same day I met you. We're staying in the same hotel, but I don't see him very often, so I don't really know him."

"Oh," Kagome put her phone back in the bag and took one more sip before returning her water. "I didn't know you were staying in a hotel."

Leola nodded. "My house is out in the country. I prefer it there, but a brief job like this is a lot of fun."

"Glad you're enjoying yourself," Kagome smiled and added, "my muscles certainly appreciate what you're doing for them, even if I'm reluctant."

* * *

Kagome was running on fumes by the time she arrived home that night. After the exhausting workout with Leola, she'd quickly showered in the ladies room and then stopped by a cafe for some tea, only to find herself falling asleep as she ordered. The tea and shower did wonders to wake her up, but they weren't perfect. She desperately needed to sleep after her all-nighter.

Walking through the front door, Kagome was mindful to properly take off her shoes and hang the keys before she moved to the family room to collapse on the couch. Rin, who had been watching a princess film on the t.v. noticed her sloppy behavior.

"Kaggie? What's wrong?" Rin's big eyes were filled with concern.

"Nothing," Kagome breathed as she relaxed on the couch. "I just gotta sleep. Remain as you were," she joked and began to doze.

What felt like only minutes later she felt someone tapping on her face. She blinked lazily as her eyes focused in on her sister.

"The movie's over," Rin whispered, "and I'm hungry. What're we eating?"

"Food," Kagome groaned and rolled over. "There's some meat in the refrigerator. Eat that."

"Don't be silly!" Rin erupted into giggles and then wondered aloud, "Maybe Jaken-san would like to cook something?"

"Yeah, yeah," Kagome muttered sleepily, "Jaken-chan would love that. Now lemme sleep."

Sleep wouldn't find her again, though, as Jaken fumbled around the kitchen so she rose and resumed her duties. Shortly before the hour was done, Kagome had fixed up some chicken and salad for the family to eat. The toad youkai politely declined her offer, and returned to his home, leaving Rin and Kagome alone.

"Yum, yum! Thanks, Kagome," Rin praised between mouthfuls. Kagome sighed and shoveled more food into her mouth, day dreaming about a fluffy bed.

As they began to clean up Sesshomaru arrived at the door. He stepped inside, and made an attempt to look unruffled, but Kagome could tell he was nearly as tired as she was. She threw him a quick tender look when he met her eyes.

"Work keep you busy?"

"Yes," he walked over to her and offered a small smile.

"We already finished dinner, but I could heat something up for you if you wanted."

He shook his head. "That's alright." After a moment, he added, "Work kept me later than I expected, and rendered me unable to tell you."

She chuckled at his unorthodox apology. "I understand. It's fine."

Rin, who had been wandering through the house found them, and rocketed herself at Sesshomaru, engulfing his waist in as big a bear hug as she could manage. "Hey, Sesshomaru! I missed you!"

"Hello, Rin." He patted the top of her head gently and waited, expecting her to remove herself.

When Rin didn't, Kagome smirked, and tugged the little girl away. "I think it's time for bed. Someone around here's looking tired."

She exaggerated a slow scan of the room and with playfully narrowed eyes, she stage whispered, "Who do you think it is, Rin?"

"Hmm..." Rin grinned widely, showing off a toothy smile, and repeated Kagome's actions. "Sesshomaru. It's his bed time now."

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome mock gasped and turned to him. "Is it really your bed time? How long have you been keeping this from me?" She whispered loudly.

"You'd have to ask my secretary. She's the one who has the list on the various other secrets I keep from you," he smirked as she rolled her eyes, and planted a surprise kiss on her cheek. While Rin gawked at them, he scooped her up and whisked her away announcing. "I believe it is time for _your_ rest."

Kagome watched them travel down the hallway and turn into Rin's room, her heart filling with mirth. Nothing was awkward between them-it was as if all problems had been erased. And as she saw them together, Sesshomaru carrying Rin, she couldn't help but wonder what he would look like as the father of her kids.

_It's a stretch that he would be willing... I'd thought it was a stretch for us to get along..._ She didn't want to entertain delusional thoughts, but she really couldn't help believing that somehow, Sesshomaru _was_ changing, and that maybe, _just maybe_, he was falling as deeply in love with her, as she was with him.

* * *

After finishing the work in the kitchen, Kagome headed off to bed, making a quick stop to Rin's room. She opened the door and tiptoed in, careful not to disrupt the drowsy girl. As she placed a small peck upon her forehead, Rin rolled over and mumbled softly.

"I like Sesshom'ru..."

"Oh?" Kagome tucked Rin's covers in. "Why?"

"His play... Sessh's sorta silent but... silly. He needs... to be taught how'ta play."

"Okay." Kagome patted her head once more and whispered a goodnight as she left.

Yes, it certainly was hard not to entertain ideas of Sesshomaru as a father these days.

* * *

Kagome showered and dressed quickly, intent on getting to bed as fast as possible. She was beyond exhausted, with her muscles aching, her head stinging with a budding headache, and more. When she slid into her covers, though, they didn't provide the relief she had been hoping for.

Her door creaked, the sound eerie and disturbing. The window, which she had thought was closed, rattled with the wind, letting in a whistling breeze. The moon was full, illuminating a front yard which she had thought was beautiful, but suddenly looked haunted.

The wind howled again and she shuddered. The blankets didn't feel warm but she wanted them too, because the forecasted balmy summer night wasn't as pleasant as was promised.

Kagome strained to hear over the sound of rushing blood in her ears. Her heart beat was loud, but the sound of pattering on the roof above her was louder. She swallowed, intending to focus on other sounds.

Another creak. A second rattle of the window. A sudden tap on the wall.

Kagome hugged her flimsy blankets closer to her body, seeking comfort. When the tap was repeated, she tried to picture what had created it.

_A baby bird. Definitely a bird, simply tapping away. Maybe it's a woodpecker?_ She shivered, her mind twisting the image of the baby woodpecker into a dark shape, ominous and threatening. _No, no... Sweet eyes, filled with birdly love._ The eyes of the shape glowed in her mind, and she let out a yelp.

A scratch on the window. Her wide eyes flashed towards the sound, and saw a dark figure move outside. _It's just the bushes, just the bushes!_ Her body wouldn't respond to her attempts on comfort, and she curled her legs up to her chest. When the wind clamored again she flinched, her sweaty palms drawing her body even closer together.

When she caught the shadow of some other figure moving past her window, she screamed. Grabbing a pillow for defense or reassurance—she wasn't sure which—Kagome dashed into Sesshomaru's room next door. Slamming the door behind her, she inhaled deeply, slouching against the door, and let her head hang low.

After a pause Sesshomaru cleared his throat, and by reflex her head jerked up, becoming acutely aware of her surroundings. When her scared eyes met his, she felt her body instantly relax and she walked towards where he was sitting in his bed. He cocked an eyebrow when she parted his covers and entered, but said nothing.

After a few minutes of cuddling up against him, Kagome sighed. "I was scared."

"I could tell."

She giggled and nuzzled into his chest. "You're so powerful."

He smirked and placed his arm around her fragile body. "I noticed."

"No," she laughed quietly. "Well, yes, but, that's not what I meant. It was like... you're so powerful you could scare away anything dangerous. It's not a problem anymore."

He was silent for a bit, until he placed a kiss on her head and murmured, "I'm glad."

Tilting her head up to meet his, he leaned down as she inched forward so their lips could meet. Her lips were strong and soft at the same time, commanding enough to remind her who he was, but tender, as if to tell her exactly how meaningful she was. His hand caressed her cheek as he deepened the kiss, parting her lips with his tongue.

Push and pull, play and tease; it was enough to coax her into a soft lull of comfort and she settled down onto the bed. His kisses were enough to make her forget her nerves, forget just about everything, for that matter, but they weren't enough to make her body forget her aching muscles. She tugged on his bottom lip once more, before confirming her fatigue, and smiled against his lips.

"My mortality is showing," she whispered, which earned her a smug smile.

"I know." He drew their last kiss out longer before he pulled her close to him, spooning his large body around hers. "Rest, and tomorrow will hold promises of new horizons."

She blushed at the thought, and fell into a contented slumber, safe and secure.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed! ~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	31. The Fair Maiden's Blush

Morning arrived far too quickly and Kagome found herself being thrown back into her ordinary life. She wasn't quite back into the job search because she still had some Naraku business to deal with, but the prospect loomed grimly, never completely allowing her peace of mind. Her day was full enough already, though, with training sessions and caring for Rin.

* * *

"Sorry I'm late," Kagome announced as she walked into the workout room five minutes late. "Rin had a meltdown, and I couldn't just leave her with Jaken."

When Leola furrowed her eyebrows, Kagome shook her head and said, "Never mind. I've just had a busy day."

With a quick nod they moved on. Leola instructed Kagome over to the treadmill, and they decided to run for the day's session. After a few minutes of running together silently, Kagome began to chatter.

"I really like the weather around this season. It's nice and warm, and all the flowers are beautiful."

Leola smiled and began to run faster. "I agree. Summer is my favorite season too. What about Sesshomaru-sama?"

Kagome rubbed her lips together. "You know, I'm not too sure. But my best guess is winter, because my husband is an icicle disguised as a youkai."

Leola's eyes widened and she stared at Kagome wildly. "Erm, uh, you mustn't make jokes like that about Lord Sesshomaru."

Kagome laughed. "Oh, please. You can't _not_ joke about him sometimes. He takes himself so seriously!" Eying Leola's nervous expression once more, she added, "Don't worry. I joke about him like this, he jokes about me in other ways. If he had any friends, they'd all think I was a crazy, irrational, weak miko who won't shut up."

She grinned as Leola double checked her and then let out a small giggle. "I suppose..."

They ran together in silence for a few more minutes until Leola began chanting her favorite mantra as the speed she was running at became too taxing. She toned her speed down a few notches and then glanced at Kagome's running difficulty level on her treadmill.

"You could run a bit faster, Mrs. Taisho."

Kagome sighed but sped up a fraction. "Running isn't my strong suit. _Working out_, rather, isn't my strong suit."

Leola shrugged. "That's okay. You're already fairly fit, and you've got plenty of other talents. It's no problem."

Kagome frowned, suddenly unsettled. "But what if it is? What if I need to do something like climb on the monkey bars over a boiling pit of lava and I can't?"

She didn't voice her other worries. _What if I can't beat Naraku?_

She was pulled from her thoughts by a sweet chuckle. "Don't worry so much. We will work as much as we can to get you as strong as possible, but you shouldn't stress so much. This isn't only your burden to bear, you know."

Leola's warm eyes met Kagome's worried ones. "You've got friends and many others willing to help you defeat him. You're not alone, and I highly doubt you'll get into a situation where you would be, not with Sesshomaru-sama watching."

Kagome tripped when her shoe scraped against the rubber of the treadmill floor. "What?"

"Anyone with eyes can see the way Sesshomaru-sama looks at you."

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome tripped again, visibly flustered. _How had Leola seen Sesshomaru looking at me when we'd been fighting then?_ She remembered their conversation the night before, and how they'd slept next to each other.

Leola laughed heartily when she saw Kagome's reaction. "So you think it's no big deal you can make fun of Lord Sesshomaru, but suddenly finding out he looks at you longingly is too much? Allow me to say, you're something else, Kagome-san."

Kagome joined her in laughter. "You think? But, woah, is he really obvious about it?"

"Only as obvious as you are."

Kagome's blush could've been spotted from miles away.

* * *

As the workout session ended, Kagome headed to the locker room showers as she quickly checked her phone. Surprisingly, she had a text waiting.

_Sorry can't make the lesson today. Let's take a rain check._

Kagome frowned and set her phone down. Hayate was busy again, but this time Kagome was unsettled. Not only had he sent her the exact same message as last time. No explanation, no excuse, just a simple 'busy'. Something didn't seem right.

Finding a towel, she dashed off to the showers to think a bit more. Once she had reached the solitude of a warm, soothing shower, she searched her memory for her old miko training.

When Kagome was younger, she'd trained as a miko at a local spiritual center. She'd learned the basics, and had even been able to remember certain aspects of Kikyo's miko training that had helped her control her powers. Kagome's father and her younger self had always thought that she should have a sufficient degree of training, in case the powers the shikon no tama had given her suddenly appeared.

_There was this whole unit on control... They said it was important for a miko to be in control of her powers, of course. But there was something else..._ She strained against her memory and found the answer. _The key to control was to tighten your core, straighten yourself and imagine your powers as a tangible object_. As a child, she was powerful enough to actually manipulate her powers to create a knife.

Closing her eyes as she let the hot water pass over her body, Kagome envisioned a knife in her hand, made out of shining purity. A second later, she tightened her grip on the hilt of a knife. When she opened her eyes, a shimmering, nearly translucent pink blade was in her hand.

_I can do it!_ Kagome nearly shouted and she felt Kikyo's soul beat once against her own in happiness. As Kagome let the blade dissolve, she grinned with pride, happy that though she may not be the best weight-lifter, she at least had a damn good memory.

* * *

Late that night as Kagome readied herself for bed, she found herself as scared and anxious as the night before. Without waiting around for the strange occurrences to begin, she snagged a blanket and headed over to Sesshomaru's room.

Jaken, who had been in the process of retiring to his house had seen her exit her chambers and start towards his master's. "My Lady!" He exclaimed, clearly scandalized.

"Oh, Jaken-san!" Kagome mimicked his squeak.

"This is most improper, My Lady. Please, do not put yourself in a position that some may question your chastity! Milord would be so ashamed!"

She was stunned speechless, overcome by Jaken's delusion. "We're _married_, Jaken."

When he huffed, she decided to throw him for another spin, by amplifying her antics. "Sex after marriage is okay in any culture, I believe. So if you'll excuse me..."

She opened the door and entered with a flourish, curtsying to Jaken as she closer the door on his gawking face.

Turning towards the bed, she paused when she met Sesshomaru's smug smirk. "And here I thought you were simply visiting. It seems tonight will be quite a treat."

She blushed, and he found it endearing. He wouldn't mind getting used to that pretty rosy tint on her cheeks.

"I wasn't implying-I was just-Jaken, and-," she whimpered and trudged over to his bed. "You know exactly what was happening, so don't act all arrogant."

He pulled her towards him, and she felt a low rumble sound in his chest. "You have this way of getting me all tongue tied."

"I could arrange for us both to be tongue tied." When her eyes widened he stole a kiss.

"You're so cheesy," she laughed against his lips, "I don't even know where to start. How do you live for like, a million years, and still have such silly lines?"

He deepened their kiss for his answer and she soon found herself lying down on the bed. Their kisses were passionate, laced with tongue and nibbles, and Sesshomaru noted with satisfaction that Kagome's arousal was quickly filling his senses. Deciding to take things slow, he moved so he could kiss the base of her throat and snaked a hand under her sleep shirt. He was pleased to find she hadn't worn a bra.

When he began to rub one of her breasts, Kagome let out a breathy moan. As if the noise had shocked her, she jerked underneath him, and stared at him with wide, alert eyes.

"So, umm, how was work today?" She babbled, her skin flushed and hair astray on the pillows. Sesshomaru couldn't fathom why she would be _talking_ when she looked like that.

He nuzzled her cheek and brushed his thumb across her breast, touching over the sensitive parts. "Um! I had fun working out with Leola today, but Hayate didn't show for our meeting!"

"Then we shall have to fire him," he rumbled, and slid his hands over more of her silky skin.

"And Rin! She had a meltdown earlier!" Kagome supplied, rambling.

Leaning away from her, Sesshomaru frowned. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not doing anything!" She glanced down at her body, and was met with the sight of her exposed breasts, with her shirt hiked up high. She covered them quickly with her hands, and blushed, reluctant to meet his gaze.

He was silent before attempting to speak without growling. "Are you unwilling?"

"No!" She yelped, and then blushed. "I just, I umm..."

He cocked an eyebrow.

"I mean, you should know..." When her embarrassment became too much, she covered her eyes. "All cards on the table... I'm a virgin."

"I figured."

"You knew?!" She leaned onto her elbows, tears nearly filling her eyes. _Kami, I feel so stupid. He knew, and he didn't say anything. I just..._ Her mind was a mess of humiliation and dilemma, and she wasn't sure how to proceed.

Sesshomaru smirked, which only served to befuddle Kagome even more. "It's obvious. We can wait if you need to, however, I would rather not," his eyes lingered on her body before gesturing to his.

She blushed hotly and attempted to hide her gawk, letting out a cough. "Right, well, okay. I guess, umm," she said weakly and blushed once more, before deciding she really wanted this. She wanted to prove to Sesshomaru how much she felt for him in this physical act."If you're good, then lead the way."

They took their kisses slow until he couldn't hold back anymore, and as he became more passionate in his touches, she found herself drowning in bliss. His fingers found uncharted territories of her skin as she brushed hers over his body, which was mesmerizing and new as the feelings he was creating within her.

Hands grazed skin, lips kissed trails and eyes charted the way, creating a symphony of feelings that she'd never felt before. Pain molded into a foreign, deep warmth inside of her, and they lost themselves. When Kagome climaxed, Sesshomaru followed shortly after, pouring his seed between her parted legs. With a smile and a lusty kiss, he laid her down on the satin pillows and let her rest after her earth-shattering first time. Once all was said and done, she found herself more pleased than she could've ever thought, and wondered why she had refrained from doing something so positively_ good_ before.

* * *

I would like to apologize profusely for being so slow about posting this! I've been traveling and basically, life happened. So I'm really sorry about the slow update... But I hope you enjoyed nonetheless. ~Gracie

All Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	32. The Calm

She woke early the next morning, feeling sated and completely pleasured. Wrapped in Sesshomaru's arms, it felt like the world was perfect. Kagome nuzzled her cheek on his bare chest and dozed for a few more minutes until his alarm clock rang.

She pouted when he released her and turned to the irritation object, effectively ending it with a quick touch from his poison whip.

"You shouldn't do that," she giggled and straightened in bed. "We can't keep on replacing all the objects you break."

He quirked an eyebrow. "And why not?"

"Because," she waved her hand and then faced him with a secretive smile gracing her lips, "we could do so much _more_ with the time it would take to replace them. I've already thought of a couple ideas, you know."

He smirked. "Oh? Please, do elaborate…" His hands snaked up her thighs and she leaned towards him.

"Things like," she gasped when he touched her in a sensitive spot, "running, golfing, fishing, swimming, eating, braiding your hair, uhm—"

She was silenced when he stole her lips into a long, passionate kiss.

He shifted her onto her back, but stilled when she winced. After a moment, he watched a blush spread on her cheeks, and she supplied an answer. "It seems I'm a bit sore. Umm, you know… _down there_."

Sesshomaru smirked again, and placed a warm kiss on her brow before leaning back on his knees. "It's only to be expected, after last night."

His eyes held a glint of amusement and desire, which only served to deepen her blush. Scooting out from underneath him, Kagome dashed towards the refuge of the shower. She half expected him to follow her in, but after a few minutes of letting the warm water run over her muscles, it seemed as though he would respect her aching body.

Sesshomaru pulled on a pair of loose sweat pants before sitting on his bed again. With a smug smile towards the bathroom, he decided to let her have that one shower alone. He wouldn't make any promises about her alone time after that, if last night was anything to judge by. Their life together, he decided, was starting to seem more than just amusing.

Startled by his own thoughts, Sesshomaru furrowed his brow. He was thinking about their relationship incorrectly. Hadn't he wanted a simple lover? Where had the idea of keeping her a mate come from? He hadn't though he would want her the way he did… And when he had decided to take her as a mere lover, they hadn't faced and overcome the difficulties they'd had now.

He fisted a hand through his hair, slightly uneasy. He hadn't expected to feel the way he did about her. It wasn't a completely new feeling, he supposed, because he had begun to care about her a long time ago. But it was new to him. And maybe, if he allowed himself to fully embrace the feeling, he wondered, would he finally know the meaning of true happiness?

* * *

"Hey, Kaggie, your phone is ringing!" Rin exclaimed from the other side of the table that the girls were sitting at, which was currently filled with scattered puzzle pieces.

Kagome, who had decided to spend some quality relaxation time with Rin on her day off from working out with Leola, groaned. As if she hadn't had enough interruptions already. All she wanted was to find a place for these damned pieces that just wouldn't fit together! But noo, she mentally grumbled, the world just couldn't let her do that!

"Pass it over here," she requested, and watched Rin rifle through her purse until she found it.

With a quick look at caller ID Kagome answered. "Sango, I have _extremely_ important business to attend to, so let's make this_ snappy_."

"Yeah, right. I know you, Kagome. The only business you have is taking care of Rin, and my little angel could never cause anyone trouble." Sango raised her voice on the other end to try and talk to Rin, whom she knew was with Kagome. "Hi Rin! How are you, sweetheart?"

"I'm great!" Rin piped up on the other side of the living room. "Kagome's only cranky because she's never been good with puzzles!"

"Traitor," Kagome hissed, and refocused her attention on the phone connected to her ear. "So, what's wrong?"

"Cakes. So many cakes. Vanilla, chocolate, pink frosting, white frosting, strawberry decorated, fruity gelato... More cakes than you and I have baked in our entire lives."

Kagome frowned, but said, "Are you trying to tempt me? Because it's working. Where are the cakes?"

"They're at my house. Twenty two of them—"

"I've made way more than twenty two cakes in my life, Sango. You're talking to the winner of Miss Cake Baker's competition in highsch—"

"Be quiet," Sango interrupted the already interrupting Kagome. "Miroku entered some silly cake contest and somehow, we won. So I need you, Rin, Sesshomaru, and whoever else you know to come over and take some."

After thinking for a moment, Kagome smiled. "Sure thing. We'll be over for dinner!"

When she had finished talking to Sango, Kagome excused herself from the family room for a moment to make a private phone call. Dialing Inuyasha's phone number, she nervously tapped her foot and waited as each ring sounded in her ear.

He picked up when the answering machine turned on. "Hello?"

His voice sounded stronger than the last time she met, Kagome noted. "Hi, Inuyasha. It's Kagome."

She could hear him tense, but replied shortly after. "Hey."

"I, umm," she cleared her throat, "Sesshomaru and I were wondering if you wanted to have dinner together tonight. I have a friend who is giving out some free cakes, so we were going to have a small get-together and we wanted to know if you would like to come. It won't be anything big, just a small dinner and dessert kind-of-thing."

She swallowed a lump in her throat trying not to sound as awkward as she was feeling.

"Sure," he said after a beat. "Where should I meet you guys?"

"Just come over to the house and we'll go over together," Kagome said hurriedly, extastic over Inuyasha's agreement.

"Okay," he hung up after a quick good bye, leaving Kagome to alert Sesshomaru and Rin of their plans for the night.

At precisely five in the evening, the unconventional family of one taiyoukai, a miko and two hanyous climbed into a car and drove towards Miroku and Sango's house. After a few minutes in the car, Kagome had learned that Inuyasha was already acquainted with Sango because they worked together, and therefore would be more comfortable than Kagome had worried he would be.

Sango opened the door as the group approached, Inuyasha leading, Kagome holding Rin's hand and Sesshomaru placing one of his hands on the small of her back. Once in the house, dinner was served quickly, with the cakes following closely behind.

"Oh, wow," Kagome moaned after her first bite of one of the strawberry-decorated cakes. "Miroku, you need to win more cake contests. These are amazing."

Inuyasha grumbled an affirmative and held out his empty plate towards Sango, who was still slicing a piece for herself.

Rin who had been unusually silent for the moment made steady observations of Sesshomaru's graceful eating habits and began incorporating them to her own. Kagome, noticing the little girl's careful eating, smiled and ruffed her hair._ This family... my family, is just too good_, Kagome thought with delight, taking in the sight of everyone eating together.

* * *

"Let me help you with that," Kagome offered as Sango made a move to clean up the plates. "Rin, you go keep Miroku occupied. You know how childish he is, and can't be trusted to sit and wait patiently."

Rin grinned at Kagome's wink and Miroku's playful offense and tugged both Miroku and Inuyasha into the family room to start a game. Kagome watched them choose uno and begin to deal out the cards before entering the kitchen.

"Just take a couple cakes, please," Sango motioned to the stack of pastries on her counter exasperatedly. "I can't and shouldn't eat all of those."

Kagome rolled her eyes at her best friend and called over to Sesshomaru. "Which is your favorite? Rin will want this purple one here..."

He walked over to her from the other side of the room and unconsciously placed a hand on her waist. She turned to him, fitting their bodies together as he reminded her in hushed tones that he did not, in fact, like sweets.

"Oh, please, you liar. I know you took that meringue, dog boy. Either 'fess up to which cake you want, or I'll choose my favorites. And, if you don't want to be eating cake for the next three weeks like Sango and Miroku..." she giggled and tilted her lips up to his ear, "I'd make your own decision."

He growled into her ear, hot breath on her flushed face. "I've already decided what I'll be eating tonight, though I can't say it'll be one of the cakes. Any guesses?"

She swatted him, her face flaming, and retreated to the other side of the room, "Just choose a cake, Sesshomaru."

He threw her a heated gaze, swiped he nearest cake and went to go play uno with the others. Kagome sighed, slouching against the counter, trying to make up her mind between swooning and rolling her eyes at her insatiable husband.

"Oh my god, you didn't."

Her eyes flashed open and she watched Sango's jaw drop. "Kagome Taisho, you so did not!"

She blushed as Sango walked over to her and exclaimed, "You had sex with him!"

Kagome clamped her hands over her best friend's mouth and hissed, "Not so loud! We don't want everyone in the neighboring towns to know!"

Sango brushed her hands away and pursed her lips, raising a delicate eyebrow. "Dude, you're married. It's sort of a given that you have sex. It's expected."

"Okay, fine. Whatever. _Though it is definitely none of your business_, I'm no longer a virgin."

Sango laughed. "Given up your V-card, eh? Popped the cherry, poked the bear, finally 'did it' after several months of marriage? You guys deserve a medal for waiting so long!"

"It wasn't that long, so stop making fun," Kagome frowned. "But... I know you warned me a couple times because you don't think he's a good choice but..."

Kagome hummed to herself for a moment before finishing. "I think I might love him. He's not perfect, but neither am I, and I just get this feeling sometimes that maybe even though we aren't amazing people in general, maybe we are just perfect for each other."

"How perfectly romantic," Sango batted her eyelashes playfully and grinned. "I'm happy for you."

"You are?" Kagome asked, trying not to sound as surprised as she was. "You did tell me getting involved with him was a bad idea."

"Yeah, I did. But correct me if I'm wrong, lots of stuff has been happening between him and you, and now I suppose I misjudged him. He might actually have a heart."

Kagome smiled, her heart overflowing with joy. Whispering softly, she admitted, "I've thought so too for a while now. There's a lot more to the great demon lord than meets the eye."

The girls both smiled at each other, happy for the way life had suddenly turned out, before Kagome and family bid goodbyes for the night.

* * *

I'm not even sure if I should be ashamed by the sheer amount of fluff in this chapter. Don't worry, the plot will pick up soon. But yeah, please enjoy this cheesy fluff until then. ~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi


	33. The Storm

The night was perfect. The clear and boundless sky proudly displayed an intricate light show, with bright burning stars and small, blinking planes, enticing all viewers. The air carried the scents of flowers on it's balmy wind, while the greenery of the town seemed to prepare itself for the next morning's dew, though it was only eight at night.

Rin's delighted laughter filled the air as Kagome and Sesshomaru stood outside, murmuring goodbyes to Inuyasha and extracting promises for him to visit soon. Once his car had left their driveway, hand in hand, the happy couple entered the Taisho mansion, in search of the child they had to put to bed.

"Rin!" Kagome sang, "it's time for bed and you know it!"

Giggles erupted from behind the couch and Sesshomaru plucked the girl from her hiding place and carried her to her room. The both sat on her bed as she whispered good nights and gave out bed time kisses. Secretly, the young girl couldn't have been happier, unsure as to what had happened between her sister and Sesshomaru, but knew it would be exciting. They were starting to act like the parents she'd seen on tv shows, and she wondered with sweet, girlish innocence if they'd have a baby sometime soon.

As Kagome exited Rin's room, she began to turn towards Sesshomaru when the phone in her pocket buzzed. Raising an eyebrow, she fished it out and read the message.

_Hello, Kagome-san, I was wondering if you had a moment to talk?_

Hayate's formal message was polite, and it didn't seem to be too late to call him. She pursed her lips and debated what would happen if she did or didn't call, and decided that if she didn't get in touch with her spiritual mentor now, when would she? He was a busy man.

"I'm going to call Hayate," she told Sesshomaru.

"I thought I told you to find someone new." His tone wasn't commanding, merely inquisitive, and she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"I didn't know we'd actually discussed the matter. I was just... rambling then, and you know it," she blushed, referring to their quick chat the night before.

"Still, he has been slow in contacting you. That is hardly professional."

"Yeah, well, I missed an interview while away on vacation with you, and the company agreed to let me have one more. Everyone deserves second chances," her look was pointed, subtly reminding him of all their fights.

After a moment, he sighed and entered their bedroom, content to wait for her. She dialed the number and waited for Hayate to pick up.

"Hello?" Hayate's voice was nearly the same as she remembered, with only the phone corrupting his distinct tenor.

"Hi, Hayate-san? It's Kagome Taisho. You wanted to speak to me?"

"Ah, yes, thank you. Being that tonight is the new moon, I thought it would be very beneficial for you to practice with me. While I haven't been with you helping you exercise your reiki, I have been studying more about the art. There are several situations in history where a miko or monk uses their power on the night of a new moon and it increases, making them invincible. I believe these coincidences are more than just that-I'm willing to bet there's a correspondence between the moon and your reiki. I understand it's late, but would you like to give it a try?"

She paused for a moment, taking all the information in. Then, with a quick glance at her watch, she responded, "Sure. I don't want to be too long, so no longer than an hour, but tell me the place and I'll be there soon."

She took directions from him, and then snapped her phone off and entered the bedroom, finding Sesshomaru waiting on the bed. He frowned at her, having heard everything said on the phone as she grabbed a jacket and slipped on a pair of shoes.

"Kagome," he warned, his voice deep, "this isn't a good idea."

"I know it's not the best, but I want to practice. It's only an hour," she huffed.

He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Kagome took her turn in waiting for him as he contemplated it, until she felt him nod. Breaking apart, he peered at her with his golden eyes.

"Don't be long, don't dawdle, and keep your phone with you." With a sigh and shake of his head, he muttered, "You're too carefree."

She smiled, and kissed his cheek. "I'll be fine, don't worry. I never knew you were such a worry wart, Sesshomaru."

He raised an eyebrow.

Walking out of the room, she laughed as she went. "I mean, if I didn't already know you were an inuyoukai, I'd think you were a neko. You're a real scardy cat!"

His dark chuckle was the last thing she heard before she left the house.

* * *

Arriving at the agreed location, Kagome sat in her car for a moment, attempting to figure out why she was getting deja vu. _Hold on... deserted coffee shop... That's it!_ She whipped out her phone and sent Sesshomaru a quick text telling him -something he probably had already figured out- that the location Hayate had suggested was none other than the coffee shop Sesshomaru had taken her too when he told her about Naraku's sudden appearance.

_It's funny... that feels like such a long time ago, with how things are now. Back then, we were barely friends, and now... We're so much more._

Exiting her, car, Kagome walked over to the shop, mulling over what she would order to drink. She pushed against the door to walk inside, only to face plant into the glass window of the door.

"What on earth-" She flitted her gaze over the coffee shop to find their store hours. It had closed thirty minutes ago.

"Huh?" Pursing her lips together, she turned around and leaned on the door. _Why the heck was it closed? Why had Hayate suggested someplace that wouldn't be open? _An uneasy pit formed in her stomach, but she bit her lip and ignored it.

Flipping her phone out-yet again- she found the screen alight with a message from Hayate.

_Oh, wow, how embarrassing! Sorry, Kagome, that shop's not open right now. Could we meet up at a different place, or would you rather have lessons at more practical times later?_

The rest of his message conveyed how sincerely apologetic he was, and how he wanted to make it up to her. Kagome frowned, but opened her phone to call him back. As the first shrill ring sounded in her ear, she heard a bush rustle in the woods behind the shop.

All at once, she felt her blood run cold. The fear that had driven her to seek comfort next to Sesshomaru at night returned, sinking it's claws into her mind and inducing a hazy, panic filled hiccup. Without a second thought, Kagome closed her phone before Hayate picked up and began a steady walking pace to her car.

She wouldn't run to safety, no she wouldn't succumb to this terror, her logical mind argued. There was nothing to be afraid of. But when she turned to look back at the coffee shop as she opened the door to her car, the sight she saw made her heart skip a beat.

A figure was standing next to the shop. The figure, clearly male, was shrouded in the darkness, and she could only make out the barest of features. Her mind hastily supplied her with Kikyo's memories of a man who was less human than beast, one who had traded his humanity for a devilish strength.

"Naraku," she breathed, her eyes widening with recognition.

Taking no chances, she lept into her car and slammed the door shut, not bothering to fasten her seat belt before peeling away. She was nearly out of the parking lot when something stopped her. Forcing her eyes to remain open and her hands to relax from their white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel, she slowly turned over her should to look out the rear window of the car.

Two large figures that she hadn't seen before were grasping the back bumper of her car, hoisting it off the ground so she couldn't drive away. She watched in horror as they lifted her up, and with strength that had to be youkai, the two men hauled her car into the air and threw it.

Kagome screamed. Screaming was the only thing she could do. Watching her life flash before her eyes as the car hurdled through the air, she only had one thing running around her head:this couldn't be it. She had so much to do, see, taste, touch, find... In her mind, there was no acceptable reason for her to die. It didn't matter if her body was broken by the fall or not-she had to survive.

And as the car crashed into the earth, she shielded her eyes, unwilling to let that be the last thing she saw. She felt the skin on her arms be cut by the fragments of broken glass and her body was jostled about the container. Numbly, she wondered why she didn't hurt as badly as she would've expected, but as a wave of nausea hit her, she shook the thoughts away.

As suddenly as the car had been thrown, she was being plucked out of the wreck that didn't seem nearly beaten up enough to have been thrown in the air, and tossed on the ground. Naraku stood above her, his arms crossed. She couldn't make out his face due to the darkness of the night and her light-sensitive eyes, but she figured he was smiling.

She knew she had to get out of the situation she was in, but for the life of her, Kagome's frantic mind couldn't supply her with logical solution. It wasn't like a knife would've been much use to her if she'd had one; and there was no way she could get her hands to stop shaking and point a gun at him. It wasn't like it mattered though, because Kagome was unarmed and just about as vulnerable as one could get.

So she struggled. Trying to run, she lifted her body up, only to be kicked down by the man in front of her. Her mind screamed at what a bad idea she had thought up, but her body moved on it's own accord, attempting to balance on her knees and scramble away.

She hear Naraku's scoff and held her breath, expecting to hear him remark on her pathetic endeavor to flee. He kicked her again in the stomach and she doubled over, blocking her face. When he grabbed her hair, she let out another scream, and tried to claw him with her blunt nails.

The only thing Kagome hadn't expected at that moment, was to hear a beastly roar. _Well,_ she stared at the enormous dog demon in front of her that was ripping Naraku's lackeys apart in his mouth with wide-eyed shock, _maybe I would've expected a roar. Just not in my favor, that's all._

Sesshomaru, in his complete inu form, looked back at her with blood red eyes. Prowling over to her, he focused his attention on the man before her.

Hands still shaking from fear and utter shock, Kagome frantically pushed the off-guard hanyou at her husband and ran towards the wreck that had been her car. A second growl erupted behind her but she didn't dare look back. But as a third met her ears, she vaulted over the wreck in an attempt to take cover on the other side of it, only to promptly fall awkwardly on it, banging the side of her head.

Sesshomaru's white tail race by her was the last thing she saw before her world was swallowed into darkness.

* * *

Hello, Gracie here! Hope you enjoyed this latest chapter, and thanks so much for the frequent reviews. And yes, I know, Kagome is severely lacking in the bad-ass department right now, but it's not going to last (that's all I'm going to say...) so don't be too bothered by her completely normal reaction to Naraku's sudden appearance. I know she's always fainting during these battles.

But anyways, I just wanted to point out the title of this chapter and the last. The last one was the calm, which was before the storm. Which is like the saying 'the calm before the storm'. Okay, really dorky, I know I know, but I thought it was funny... ~Gracie :)

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi


	34. Understanding the Caged Bird

No words could describe the way Sesshomaru felt. The way he didn't want to feel. Nevertheless, the feelings were there, sinking into his heart and making a frenzy of his mind. He felt those feelings very, very strongly.

From birth, he was destined not to mingle with the humans because they were commonly known to be weak, dirty, and below the youkai. It had been obvious that he wouldn't waste time with the inferior race, being he was the Lord of the West, and he had fiercely believed that in his youth. By the time the modern era blew in, he had grown lax with his prejudices and found nothing much interested him anymore, so he was content to find amusement from their petty fights and squabbles.

When he met Kagome Higurashi, he had nearly given up on finding something truly interesting to amuse himself. And, having long since forgotten what had driven him to distance himself from the humans, he decided to give in to a mere whim and help the girl out.

From there, his life had proceeded to become more complex and troublesome than it had ever been, all because of one pesky human. He had conquered various different lands and killed many youkai to maintain his position, but for the life of him, Sesshomaru hadn't known _one_ human girl who was so impossibly weak, naive and fragile could be such a problem.

She waltzed into danger, unaware of her circumstances and the crisis she could stumble upon. And when she had done just that-found a war unfolding in front of her eyes-she wasn't able to fight back. Sesshomaru had figured out the plan shortly after she had texted him, and jumped into action to go save her. He had been calm and collected, as he normally was when going into battle, but when he arrived on scene and seen her doubled over...The way he had felt was something he'd never admit to anyone, not even Kagome herself. He had been so controlled for so long, that he hadn't even registered the fact that his tight grip on his emotions had gained slack. And once he had realized, it was too late.

And after attacking Naraku, but letting him escape so he could tend to Kagome who knocked herself out, he had returned home, mind in disarray. Sesshomaru was, for the first time in his life, unsure as how to proceed. He couldn't figure out how the little slip of a woman had made him feel that way, and he didn't want to continue giving her that power over him. He was not some lap dog meant to be tamed; he was a Taiyoukai, with immense power and prestige, never meant to show or feel emotion in a time of peril. Yet he had.

So, he closed his heart off to her. He had promised to be open with her, but that was suddenly a thing of the past. He couldn't let her interfere with his life, so the most logical thing would be to let her go on her way, back to her old life. However, the great Taiyoukai decided to take another plan of action. He would lock her away in his mansion, keeping such a delicate, precious person away from the harm she could fall right into, as she was known to do.

He would deal with the problem. He would keep her safe, and he would be the one to drive her away from him, to in turn, protect himself.

* * *

Kagome patted her little sister's head and rolled over on the bed so she could get a better view of the book Rin was reading. Even a week after the attack, Kagome still hadn't left the house, and she was feeling antsy. She'd taken care of Rin everyday and read a lot, but otherwise the poor miko hadn't done much else to entertain herself. The house was quiet with Jaken out shopping, and Sesshomaru at work. Letting her lids drop, Kagome dozed softly as the young girl next to her remained enthralled by her picture book.

In her brief dreams of memories, Kagome tried to fight of the embarrassment that had been haunting her of late. The shame of forgetting one's own powers in the midst of a fight was a powerful motivator to keep oneself up all night. She'd become quiet the insomniac lately, due her embarrassment, her fears of Naraku, and the fact Sesshomaru was arriving home later and later each night only to leave their room earlier and earlier.

She flushed, awoken from her light doze, and remembered yet again. She'd be fairly close to pathetic while fighting Naraku, forgetting ever single one of Leola's lessons and the fact she had a sizable amount of control over her powers. She'd run, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but was disgraceful because she hadn't needed to. She could've fought him at the very least, or been smart enough to deduce that the coffee shop was closed because there were absolutely no cars in the parking lot, or lights in the shop, for that matter. Kagome had been silly enough to be led to a deserted shop in the middle of nowhere with no bystanders for miles, and still got out of the car instead of driving away.

Hayate, for that matter, had called her constantly apologizing. He'd called after Kagome had woken up the next day to talk to her, only to find out about the turn of events and felt completely guilty. Sesshomaru hadn't commented on her talking to him, only saying she wasn't to meet him for a long time, leaving Kagome utterly confused. She was sure Hayate was working with Naraku, but after his heart-felt apologies... she wasn't so sure anymore.

Giving Rin's head one more pat, she rolled off the little girl's bed and strode over to her room with Sesshomaru. She needed to plan a way to get him to talk to her. He was always pushing her away, silently ignoring her, and she couldn't stand it. He would start acting the way he had before, or Kami help him, Kagome was going to do something drastic.

* * *

"Honestly, Sesshomaru," Kagome groaned and rolled over on their bed so she was in a better position to lecture him. His eyes barely flickered to hers before he continued fixing his tie and pulled on a clean vest.

"You can't keep me locked up here forever." She rolled her eyes when he finished dressing himself and completely ignored her.

"I mean it, Sesshomaru!" She yelled after him as he opened their door to glide out into the hallway. "I'll run away if I don't get permission to leave this instant!"

That caught his attention. Deciding to lapse in his silence, he turned around and marched back into the bedroom. "Hn. And then I will personally drag you back to this house, kicking and screaming."

His eyes were lit with fire, but Kagome wasn't in a mood to humor him and back down. "Then I'd simply run away again. I'm not a bird you can put in a gilded cage, no matter how noble your intentions are."

When he said nothing, she bit her lip in frustration. A week of careful planning and performing had got her fifteen words max, and he was still stubborn about her near solitary confinement. She'd tried almost everything she could think of, and was quickly running out of ideas.

A few days previous, she had been so sourly tempted to give him the cold shoulder that she had, and even made a point to pile so much junk on their bed there wasn't any room for him in it. When she woke up to find her husband eating breakfast like nothing had happened, the bed clean and straightened so it didn't even look like she had slept in it, she didn't know what to think. Her will had run out far more swiftly than his, and she changed tactics.

Three dags ago, Kagome had tried to nag him out of his mind, incessantly asking him questions and talking, but found herself more bothered than he, and couldn't continue. That morning, she had attempted to make threats, which earned her a few responses, but not enough to merit a victory. She hated feeling so helpless, and it fueled her determination to get him talking to her again. Sesshomaru had a will of steel and centuries to practice holding grudges, and she just didn't know how to get his attention.

Dragging herself out of bed, she entered the hallway just in time to see his back vanish into the kitchen. He would be going to work, and it felt like if she didn't get him to talk to her now, then she never would. Desperation drove her mind into overdrive, and she sighed.

"Only one last thing to do," she mumbled to herself, and broke into a sprint down the hallway. When she saw his back, she rocketed herself onto him and latched her legs around his midsection. Her powers at the forefront of her instincts, she burned her hands on his shoulders as he stumbled from the surprise of her jump.

"Talk to me you idiot!"

Hair flew everywhere, limbs tumbling into a giant pile of human, and she rolled on top of him, her body pinning him to the ground. They both knew full well he could overpower her at any moment, but he let the woman scream her frustrations at him.

"We can do this easy, or we can do this hard, but either way, Sesshomaru, you're going to stop ignoring me!" she pounded a fist on his chest and he caught her hand.

His eyes were cold, so cold, but she didn't miss the underlying layer of warmth. Something he had spent the week no doubt trying to bury, but hadn't succeeded. Kagome let her head drop, stilling her powers which had been filling the room at an alarming rate. The pink light faded and she looked away from him, able to clearly see her failures with her powers. She was out of control, mentally, physically and spiritually.

"Why do you do this," she whispered, her voice lilting on the last word. "We were so happy, why are you so... afraid of that?"

He didn't respond, but she knew he was listening. "I know it was all my fault, and you have every right to be mad at me because I didn't defend myself, but still. _Sesshomaru, I'm sorry_. Can't we just get over this?"

He rose up and leaned forward in an instant, his face inches from hers. "You never learn. Fighting won't get you a response," he ground out, and pushed her aside.

She watched him walk away and with the barest, hint of a turn, she saw him check back at her before heading out the door. A small smile tugged at her lips and she sprung up, content that though Sesshomaru had said she wouldn't get a response from him, she had in fact, received one nonetheless.

* * *

That night, she waited up for him in bed. He was late, as usual, and she dozed lightly but stirred when he opened the door. Her bright blue eyes followed him as he paced about the room before deciding to undress. She watched, in rapt attention as he slowly undid his tie and removed his shirt, seemingly unaware of her unfaltering gaze. Kagome blushed involuntarily at the sight of his bare chest, and warmer, passionate memories resurfaced in her mind. He cleared his throat, able to smell her thickening scent and found much to his displeasure, he couldn't ignore her. Not when she smelled like that, not when she was lying in their bed.

Mentally, he cursed himself. Where had his cold resolve disappeared to? Avoiding her had proved to be far more difficult, and he could feel his famous control slipping, yet again.

"Calm down, Sesshomaru," her voice held no soft tones, for she had seen how he had reacted in that brief moment. He met her eyes and was amazed by the small woman who could see past his defenses and account for how he would act.

Chastising himself, he remembered_ he didn't want a woman like that_, because she brought too much trouble with her.

Kagome relaxed back into bed, watching him carefully. When he shucked his pants and pulled on sweats for sleeping she rolled over, allowing him some space. He matched her steady gaze and the couple sat in bed, simply staring at the other, waiting for one to make the first move.

Kagome sighed first, and pulled the covers up around her body. "Just letting you know, I'm going to be attending a meeting with the youkai council tomorrow. I believe you're attending too?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Hn."

"Good. Then we'll go together."

He frowned, but remained silent. She smiled, glad he was atleast acting similar to how he had before.

"You can't stop me because it's my duty, but I appreciate that you're not objecting anyways," she mused out loud.

He said nothing, and she closed her eyes, ready to sleep. As she felt her mind slipping into a haze, she whispered, "Don't worry so much. We'll work out these problems just like we have in the past. I'm only asking for my freedom, Sesshomaru. You need to stop avoiding talking to me about it."

He watched her fall asleep and brushed a hand over her soft, dark hair. She was so beautiful, so strong, but so fragile. So breakable. She saw through his control, and that confused him. But most of all, the Great Taiyoukai of the West worried that if he let this delicate, charming young woman with a heart so big out into the world, would she return back to him shattered beyond repair... or would she even return at all?

* * *

Okay, sorry about the delay. Here's my apology for the past and future delays. I will try hard to get a chapter out every week but... I am pretty slow sometimes. Hope you enjoyed this one! ~Gracie

All Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	35. Uncovering the Plan

They woke and rose at the first light, silent as ever, but lacking the tension that had been present of late. Kagome made a quick breakfast and said goodbye to Rin, leaving her with Jaken, while Sesshomaru sorted his paperwork and readied the car. Kagome slipped in and they left the house, still without speaking a word. She was too stubborn to break the silence first, and he, completely unconcerned.

When it was clear that they wouldn't have a conversation, Kagome rested her head on her hand and watched the scenery pass them by as they headed off to the meeting. She had a lot of things on her mind that she wanted to sort out first before talking to him again.

It seemed like they were always fighting. Maybe that would've worried her a couple weeks ago when she first realized she had feelings for him that weren't fading, but it didn't now. They fought about one thing: her freedom. She knew even though he had seemed fairly flexible for himself the night before, he still wasn't on the same page as her when it came to freedom. He wanted to keep her close and guard her while she wanted to be out in the world, to explore and see, and just _experience_. She want to do all the things Kikyo had never gotten to do, and always regretted. After, of course, the Naraku problem was dealt with.

But aside from the fighting... she couldn't help a sigh from escaping. She was a twenty four year old woman with a healthy imagination and there was a certain thing she'd been thinking about every time he looked at her with his dark golden eyes and spoke to her in a voice that just made her shiver. She definitely felt a lot when it came to him, good and bad, but the one that felt the biggest was a warm, sort of slow burn that ignited in her heart when she thought of him, that made her want to be near him, fighting or not. And she smiled against the window, a little wistful, a tad hopeful but mostly... in love.

* * *

They entered the building and Kagome's palms felt clammy, the way they always did when she knew she was walking into a battle field. These youkai hated her, and had no qualms in expressing it, even disliking her more openly after her status as the shikon miko was revealed, for reasons secret to her. Rubbing her lips together, she walked as straight as she could into the elevator with Sesshomaru, barely noticing he didn't choose a floor.

"Kagome."

She whipped her head around and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Stop rubbing your lips."

She blinked, and then nodded, feeling foolish. She muttered an apology and began to wring her wrists. Reaching out, Sesshomaru placed a hand on the back of her neck and pulled her in for a quick kiss. She felt him smile against her lips, and whispered quietly, "If you rub them off how will I kiss you?"

She mock rolled her eyes and they quickly fell back into their old rhythm, where the icy cold demon lord quietly reassured his human bride that everything would be okay, and if it wasn't, he would fix it for her. They walked slowly from the elevator to the door of the meeting room, their hands locked together as proof of their bond. When he took his seat at the large table, she sat at his right hand, confident in her unwillingness to show them how afraid she was.

The youkai glared at her, familiar faces mixing with the unknown and she breathed in slowly, and met their oppressive gazes. There wasn't much she could do, for she was mute in the council room, there to be seen but not heard, but she could show them one thing. She wouldn't back down, not from her place at Sesshomaru's side, not from her birthright as the shikon miko-she would fight them if they challenged her. By now, they had all heard about her mishap with the enemy, but she was there to show them that it wouldn't happen again.

"So tell us, Lord Sesshomaru, what course of action has been planned?" A dark female was the first to speak, her voice harsh and challenging.

"Yes, Milord, what should be done about Naraku _now_?" A nekoyoukai seconded the female's question without giving him time to speak.

Kagome watched Sesshomaru for his reaction. He wore a stony mask and nodded at the youkai on his other side. The inuyoukai straightened in his seat and addressed the crowd. "It has been decided that the shikon miko will continue to train and once she has mastered her skill, she will fight the hanyou Naraku."

Displeased noises circulated in the crowd and Kagome attempted to keep a blush from appearing on her cheeks. Sure, Sesshomaru was fine with that decision, but it was obvious he wasn't the only one who would be affected by it. The youkai had to be extremely careful and clean up this mess before it became public news, because the humans would throw themselves into chaos.

So she understood how important it was to the youkai, but she didn't know why they were so impatient.

Admittedly, she did know Sesshomaru, and she knew exactly when he would deem her powers acceptable for fighting against Naraku—but still. At this rate, Naraku had only attacked her, and while they couldn't let a few instances dictate how they reacted towards him in the future, it appeared that she would be the only one suffering from the decision to wait.

_So, why?_

"We gave that idea a chance, Lord Sesshomaru, but it isn't working. We want progress, and if anything, your little miko has proven to us she can't fight and won't ever be able to."

Kagome seethed, not allowing herself to believe the youkai that spoke for even one second. She would do better. She could prove herself. _She had to._

Sesshomaru held up a hand. "I won't be questioned on my decision."

"Oh, but we are also members of the council, Sesshomaru-sama." An aged female inuyoukai spoke in a croaking voice. All heads turned to watch her, Kagome with baited breath.

"And, old friend, I would hate to suggest you have impure motives driving your decision." The old woman coughed and settled back into her seat. Kagome narrowed her eyes at the female youkai, whose eyes seemed alighted with amusement over the disruption she had created.

"That is correct, isn't it? Sesshomaru the old Lord of the West is misusing his power to protect his whore!" Someone yelled over the argument that was stirring.

A tremendous snarl erupted in the room and everyone silenced to stare at Sesshomaru. His eyes had bled red to signal his lost composure, and thankfully no one was stupid enough to challenge him.

No one foolish enough except Kagome, of course.

Tugging on his shirt, she whispered in a deadly tone, "What are they talking about, Sesshomaru?"

His glare was a signal that she was not to ask here, and especially not now, but the male nekoyoukai next to her had heard her question.

"What don't you understand, human? Was it the fact that he abandoned our original plan when he found out that you were the shikon miko? Or was it that you can't believe someone had the guts to call you a whore?"

He took in her aghast expression and sneered. "Can't we call you what you are? Your scent has mingled with his—you're his little mistress that he is willing to protect, but not willing to mate. Face it, he may want to keep fucking you today, but he certainly doesn't want to spend an eternity with you!"

In her shame, Kagome couldn't think. She didn't know what action she could perform to save face and still act diplomatically, all she knew was she was embarrassed and horrified, and unsure of what to do. Standing, she stiffly walked from her seat and to the door, bidding them goodbyes as she left the room.

From there, her heart was painfully constricting within her too-small ribcage and she simple exited the building and hailed the nearest taxi cab.

* * *

She was sitting at the kitchen table sipping a cup of tea when he arrived home. And seeing his wife waiting for him, appearing calm and collected, did enough to stir his heart in a way less anxious, but more prideful, than anything. Kagome looked like a force to be reckoned with.

"Sesshomaru," her voice was barely above a breath, "what were they talking about?"

He placed his brief case on the counter and made no excuse for his lack of response.

"I don't care about the whore comment," Kagome dismissed it with the wave of a hand, "I don't expect them to understand our relationship. But I want to know about the plan you abandoned when you figured out I was the shikon miko."

Her mind flashed in rapid fire to the day they had returned from their camping trip and she hadn't been allowed into the meeting room. _I eavesdropped… and heard Sesshomaru say something, didn't I? _She searched her mind until she remembered Sesshomaru had mentioned something about a change of plan that day.

She placed her hands on her hips and waited. He looked at her again, and sighed, massaging his temples.

"Bait."

"Excuse me?" Kagome frowned.

"The plan was," Sesshomaru slowly articulated, "to use the shikon miko as bait."

"For Naraku?" Her voice hit an octave higher.

"Hnn."

She was stilled to silence until all hell broke loose in her mind. "_Oh My KAMI_, you beast, what's wrong with you youkai—how could you even think of something like that?! Using someone as bait?! That's sick—_despicable_—horrid!"

Kagome beat her fists against his chest until she calmed to take a breath. "And what's worse, is you changed it for me."

"Hn."

She squeezed her eyes shut, and let out a ragged breath. "Special treatment. If we hadn't become connected the way we are now, you would've simply fed me to the wolves, without a concern for Rin or my family."

"So," she swallowed and glared at him, "I am too mad to talk to you anymore tonight, Sesshomaru. But keep in mind, this is the last night you'll be sleeping alone!"

Kagome turned on her heel and walked down the hallway to her old room, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

Going about the motions, Kagome prepared herself for sleep. She walked about her room, brushing her hair, finding some pajamas, and she slipped off her day clothing. Finding the clasp for her skirt, she let it drop to the floor, trying to create the smallest amount of noise possible. She had an odd feeling in her gut that twisted her stomach into knots.

The feeling of being watched haunted her every movement, and she couldn't stop herself from taking quick, frequent glances over her shoulder to make sure no one was there. It was the feeling that had driven her from the room in the first place, and made her feel vulnerable.

Not today, she reminded herself, and brought her spiritual powers to a simmer beneath her skin. She wanted to be prepared, even if it was just a bout of paranoia.

When nothing happened for a few minutes, she scoffed at herself for being so jumpy. It was a completely irrational feeling, and she knew it. Opening her closet door to grab a fresh pair of undergarments, Kagome was met with a face.

A smiling face that held up a mirror and_ pulled_ on something very deep inside her body, something that felt very much like her _soul_.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Only a few left now! ~Gracie

all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	36. In a Fix

When Kagome woke up, she knew she wasn't where she was supposed to be. She was _supposed_ to be in a sort-of awkward relationship with Sesshomaru where they both were coming to terms with their feelings for each other, and all the while wanting more. She was _supposed_ to be distracting herself from thinking about mating Sesshomaru, and facing life together with him. She was _supposed _to not be looking at Rin and wondering what her baby hanyou with Sesshomaru would look like. She was _supposed_ to be calling up Sango on the phone and talking for hours. She was _supposed _to be working out with Leola and trying not to stress about the Naraku deal.

But when Kagome woke up, she knew she wasn't doing any of that. She was just lying down on her back, bound and gagged, staring at the rotting ceiling of an old house.

Groaning, she shifted in her spot to gain a better view of her surroundings. The house she was in looked like an old abandoned mansion from the inside, with ruined draperies and peeling wallpaper. The floorboards beneath her creaked as she moved and Kagome stilled after inkling her head a few inches to see that she was a few feet away from a hole in the wood.

_Okay, think. How do I get out of this?_ She fought against her bindings until they loosened a bit. _Once I get out of this place, where will I go?_ Squeezing her hands out, she removed the cloth tied around her mouth._ I don't have time to think—I just have to get out of this. I have to run._

But as she was untying the rope around her ankles she heard footsteps slowly approaching outside the door. Frantically, Kagome hurriedly tore out of the rest of her bindings and stood, ready to face her attacker. She didn't remember who had taken her or why, but she did remember a sick smile and an odd mirror.

Kikyo's soul began beating deliriously against her own as Kagome summoned her spiritual powers, and swallowed thickly. The door creaked open and Kagome stood with her legs apart in a ready position. She was prepared for a fight, but as she saw the toe of a shoe slide past the open door, she briefly wondered if she should've hidden instead.

Hayate entered the room and shut the door behind him. His hair was cut short and he was wearing obviously grubby clothes, and definitely not who Kagome was expecting.

"Where's Naraku?" She paused, shut her mouth after opening it and gestured towards him. "I mean, sure I had a slight suspicion you were working with him, but umm, where is he?"

Hayate smirked. "Kikyo didn't tell you, did she?"

The second Kagome heard his voice, she flinched. It was… darker, somehow. More sinister, in a way.

"No," she furrowed her brow and stepped away from him. He abled closer to her and she moved away again, displeased with the way he was making her move but unwilling to stand her ground near him.

Hayate's face twisted into a smile and she suddenly knew—remembered—who had been holding the mirror.

"We'll have to remedy that," and he lunged forward, pushing her to the ground, and shoving her down the hole in the floor.

Kagome's head connected with the floor and a breath whooshed out of her lungs, but she fought the unconscious haze that drifted in front of her mind. Leaning onto her elbows, she almost stood, except for in the back of her head she heard Kikyo's voice.

_"Wait, Kagome, let me explain."_

* * *

She was in a dark place, devoid of color, save the one lamp in the center of the room. Seated next to it, was Kikyo, seated in the traditional position with her hands folded properly. Kagome, after taking a brief second to adjust to the odd place and rapid change in scenery, sat opposite the dark haired woman and waited.

"It seems you're in a foul position, Kagome."

Kagome blinked, and looked at Kikyo in the eyes. Her brown ones were exactly the same as in her memory, and she felt comforted by that. This was Kikyo, her longtime friend, her soul sister.

"Yeah, I am. I don't really know what to do, to tell you the truth."

Kikyo nodded. "I found that in my day, I was always self-assured, except when it mattered the most. You were never like me, though."

She paused when Kagome shook her head. "Kagome, you may think I was a better shikon miko than you, but that is not true. I've heard every complaint you've made, and you have been strong to bear the weight of a predecessor, but you must remember that you are doing well as the new protector of the shikon."

"I'm not powerful," Kagome said regretfully, "and I make a lot of mistakes. I know I'm trying my hardest, but Kikyo, I'm so confused."

"The shikon chose you for a reason. Don't ever doubt that."

Kagome pursed her lips, choosing diplomatically to agree to disagree silently.

Kikyo sighed, and in one moment, it looked as if the woman bore the weight of the whole world. "I have tried to help you live your life to the fullest. You always seemed like the daughter I never had, but even still, I have created so many burdens for you. And I have done you an even greater disservice to you by not telling you about them. There are so many things I never told you about, and maybe it was because I was ashamed—I couldn't say. But now, I must tell you."

Kikyo's eyes were solemn when she looked at Kagome.

"I'll start at the beginning. Near the end of the Great War with Naraku, my mother became pregnant by a monk she had met. The pregnancy wasn't common news because it was out of wedlock, but I had heard about it. Because of that, she didn't fight alongside Rin and I in the battle.

But as I left my body to depart into the next world, I could see my mother in labor. I saw Rin's soul, floating next to mine, and I also saw Naraku's." Kikyo frowned, "It isn't easy to explain death to someone who has only ever lived, but for me, I drifted for a bit before I felt a pull on my soul towards the heavens.

And during the time I drifted, I made a plea to the Kami. You may not remember, but you were the one that answered my call." Kikyo shuddered, and shed a single tear out of one eye.

"I was so selfish, Kagome," she whispered, and Kagome was shocked. She had never seen the older woman, who seemed so other worldly, in such a weak state.

"I asked you to give me your soul, and you did, because you didn't know any better. _You_ were the child my mother was laboring over, _you_ were the one who was going to be born only minutes after my death. But I selfishly robbed you of that life, and I took you away from our mother, who died of a broken heart shortly after."

Kikyo paused, cleared her throat, and continued. "To make a complicated matter simple, it is because you were to be born of my mother that we are soul sisters. That is not the only way to become soul-bonded to someone, and there are many types of soul-bonds, but it is not my place to speak of them at this present time. Simply, you, Rin and I are all soul sisters, and because I forced your soul to be born again, Rin's soul needed to be reborn too. She had been drifting towards the heavens when I called upon your soul, and so I selfishly robbed her of peace so that my wish could be fulfilled.

So, I am sorry. More sorry than you could comprehend, but I do not regret it." Kikyo nodded firmly, and straightened her back.

"There was one complication I did not foresee, though. In calling a pure soul like yours to be born into a different body, the Kami needed to reincarnate an equal and opposite evil soul. So they placed Naraku, the other soul who had been drifting with us, in the body of a newly born baby boy named Hayate.

In the beginning, Hayate and Naraku had a relationship similar to ours. Naraku could show Hayate his memories, and speak to him, but could not control his body because one body can only have one soul. As he grew, though I am now sure when or how, Naraku gained control of Hayate's body, and Hayate has not lived wholly as himself since."

Kagome shivered at the thought. After a moment of silence, she raised a finger and captured Kikyo's attention. "I'm sorry, there's something I don't understand. If this all happened five hundred years ago, why did it take until now for us to be reborn again?"

Kikyo lifted a delicate brow, "Who can say? The Kami work at their own pace… and time for them does not run as time for us does."

Kagome rubbed her lips for a moment. "I want to know about my powers, too. Why can't I reach the power the shikon no tama left me? You told me a long time ago that I had a reservoir of power that it just gave me, or something, and I just want to understand why I can't control my powers properly."

Kikyo tapped a finger on her cheek. "That is where we are different, Kagome. While we are very much the same, I have always been confident in my actions, where as you only appear to be. You have a hard time making decisions, and are motivated by only a very few things."

The room began to fade and Kagome reached a hand out to Kikyo, grabbing hold of her. "Tell me—quick! I don't know how much more time we can talk to each other!"

Kikyo smiled wistfully. "You always were very stubborn and hot headed when you became motivated, however, contrary to me who was always calm. Look at how well you have been raising Rin. That's a small feat itself."

"Tell me, please," Kagome begged desperately as the room faded even further into a gray haze.

"What I'm trying to say, Kagome, is that when you are properly motivated you perform well. You will be able to use the powers when you need to. But otherwise, you simply must make by with your own."

* * *

Here's another chapter! Enjoy the last bits of summer (even if you are like me, and have to return to school, and the idea is absolutely groan-worthy). Hope you enjoyed, and please tell me what you think of it!

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	37. Endgame

She woke again, not entirely unlike how she had woken when she had first arrived at the decrepit old mansion. This time, she stood and ignored the pounding in the back of her head, and watched the figure of a man leap through a hole in the ceiling and appear before her. She held her ground as he approached, and snarled when he moved too close.

"Get away from me, Naraku."

"Has Kikyo explained the universe to you, Kagome-chan? Did you understand that woman's old speech, or did she just sound like a senseless hag?"

"She did," Kagome spoke slowly, wondering how long she had been speaking to Kikyo, if it had been hours or mere seconds.

"And?" He smirked.

"And if you're trying to extract information from me about Kikyo, you won't be able to." She set her jaw firmly.

He growled and clasped a hand around her throat, not suffocating her but threatening to. "Why not, little Kagome?" He sneered.

She bared her teeth at him, but then let her expression slip into a frown. Puckering her brows, she thought for a moment, and weighed her possibilities. An idea sparked to life but she held her face calm, and met his chilling gaze.

"Fine. I'll make a deal with you, Naraku. I want to know how you came to control Hayate's body and what your plans are, and I'll tell you whatever you want to know about Kikyo."

He removed his hand and replied, "A bit unfair, Kagome-chan. All my secrets for the few that you know?"

She bit her tongue. "What else do you want to know?"

Naraku hummed, "Why do you want to know?"

Shaking her head, Kagome sighed. "Hold your horses, sweetheart. Let's make this deal official before we start giving information."

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, and smiled. "So be it. Conditions?"

"You speak first."

He made a tsking noise. "Did you really think I'd fall for that, _Kagome-chan_?"

"You're the trickster, Naraku. I know who would be the first to cheat the agreement. And besides," Kagome met his gaze squarely, "Purity upholds all of its contracts."

"Deal." He smirked.

"You want to know how I killed Hayate? I'll tell you, but you may be sorry," he winked at her, and she felt her stomach drop into uneasiness.

"The first thing that boy ever remembered was death. As a baby, as a toddler, I was always there, always showing him my memories of killing others, watching their blood spill, and then, my own death. He was raised as a timid, pathetic thing who couldn't handle my past or present plans."

Kagome bit her lip to hold the disgust she was feeling from showing on her face. That poor boy…

"Now here's the best part, little miko. When he hit his twelfth year, scared Hayate simply couldn't take it anymore. He attempted to kill himself, to end the torture I was inflicting upon him, and it worked. When his soul left his body, my soul, or what was left of it, was able to take full control, and I quickly saved the body. From then on, I searched for you, and found you, and began exacting my revenge."

"You said you wanted to know my plans, Kagome-chan. Don't underestimate me," he sneered. "I'm not stupid enough to tell you. But if you're wondering, my only motive was to end you. _Very slowly_."

"Kikyo was the one to ruin my plans, and in death I found I don't lust over ruling the world anymore. But I do want revenge on Kikyo, and what better a way to torture her little pet, the one she raised and cared for?"

Suddenly, he was holding Kagome's throat, with his face twisted in rage. "So tell me, what has happened to Kikyo? Can she see everything I do to you?"

His voice was a low whisper, and he tightened his grip on her throat at the last word. Kagome, doing her best for her part, made a weak smile at him, and chocked out, "I'm surprised at you, Naraku. To think you'd fall for such an old trick. You see, I'm not going to tell you, because _purity does not bend to evil._"

Quick as lighting, she focused her powers into her hands, and tried to burn his arms with a fierce touch. His face twisted again into something akin to a smirk and squeezed her throat even more so that she was making strangled breaths, dizzy by not getting enough air to her brain. "Ah, you see, I'm in a human's body. Your powers can't hurt me."

She clawed at his arms enough to draw blood from the scrapes she was creating, and he finally released her, throwing her to the ground. As she gasped for breath, he placed a foot on her back, and forced her lower on the ground.

"Tell me what happened to Kikyo."

He was hissing now, and it occurred to Kagome through her dizzy mind, that Naraku was desperate. He doesn't know what happened to Kikyo. He wants to know, because he has some sort of sick obsession with her, that much I do know. But I won't tell him, and that is making him crazy, because he doesn't understand how I am connected to Kikyo, does he?

She rolled over and grabbed his leg, pulling him to the ground. And he teetered, unbalanced, she dashed past him and out of the room, racing towards the exit. Refocusing her mind, Kagome tried to recall every encounter she had with Naraku.

The first time she'd seen him in her life was when she went camping with Sesshomaru. _It wasn't been him, though. He'd sent a puppet. And those puppets require a sort of demon magic… So that means he's not entirely human, right? If he can still use magic, than there still is a part of him that can be purified._

_The second time we met he had two companions with him. Though, it wouldn't make sense for him to have accomplices because if he had some, then they would be helping him right now,_ she thought as she rushed into another room, only to find it was a dead end. The mansion had been built in an odd way, where she couldn't find the main hallway easily to escape. _Just my luck._

_So those two men with him that crashed my car were also puppets, _she reasoned. _And then, the third time? He'd had a mirror. A mirror that pulled… on my soul?_

Kagome sifted through Kikyo's memories, trying to remember if there was ever a mirror in Naraku's possession. She tripped over a torn oriental rug and stumbled, but caught her balance next to a shattered white vase. White… she recalled a stony faced girl who had been a creation of Naraku's that was constantly sporting the odd mirror. So it's simply a fragment of his past.

Dashing through the room, she entered another that contained a staircase. As fast as her legs could carry her, she dove for it, only to be thwarted by the person waiting on the stairs for her. Naraku hissed at her and she kicked, sending him tumbling off his balance and down the stairs.

Making a run for it, Kagome saw an open window, and without hesitation, she leapt through it.

* * *

Sesshomaru paced in the meeting room at the youkai headquarters. A small hanyou girl with a sullen expression sat at the end of an empty table and watched the only person she was left with in the whole wide world, something she found to be a much more bleak and dreary place without her sister. The kidnapping hadn't quite set in yet for her—it merely felt like Kagome had gone on a vacation without her, but the nervous pit in her stomach kept on swirling in a way that reminded her this could be a very, very permanent thing.

Sliding out of the chair she had been sitting in, she approached the terrifying inuyoukai. She'd been woken in the middle of the night to come to a strange building with him, and they hadn't given her time to take care of her more personal issues. Rin stood next to him silently, cautiously, and waited for him to notice her. If anything, she hoped he would treat her the same way he had been for the past few weeks, and look down at her with warm eyes. But she knew without Kagome, Sesshomaru wasn't going to be acting like he used to.

"Excuse me?"

Sesshomaru startled visibly and growled at the source of his interruption. Peering down, he saw brown tear-filled eyes of a little girl worried about her big sister, and instantly felt a surge of guilt. She remained strong, and didn't let a tear slip out, but merely stared at him.

"Hn?"

He watched the little girl with dark circles under her eyes with a very near haunted look on her normally cheerful face swallow anxiously.

"I need to go to the bathroom," she whispered, not wanting to make her caretaker angry.

He nodded, and hesitantly raised a hand, placing a small pat for reassurance on the little girl's head. She sniffled, grasped his hand, and he walked her to the ladies room, two uneasy people taking comfort in each other's presence.

* * *

Kagome fluttered about the rooftop, trying to scramble as far away from her predator as possible. Balancing on the ball of her right foot, she jumped from one window sill to the next, catching a piece of the molding and holding onto it for dear life. Naraku, far more agile on his feet than she, climbed after her and closing in on the space between.

They continued their dangerous dance on the rooftop with swooping movements, one playing defense and the other, offense. As they moved Kagome tried to desperately think of a plan to get her out of this alive, caring little whether Naraku was or wasn't.

Cornering her on the side of the house, Naraku lunged for her foot, which was resting not-so-securely in the gutter. She jumped, praying for her life, and caught hold of a piece of wood that was sticking out of the roof and hanging out on the side of the building.

_Oh, Kami, please no_, she groaned when it began to creak, and felt it splintering in half._ I'm going to die right now if this breaks. Leola was_ so _wrong when she said I wouldn't need that much strength_, the thought flashed dumbly through her mind.

Swinging her legs through the air, she used momentum to propel herself forward as the wood broke. As she sailed through the air, her hands groped desperately, and latched on to the molding of the roof. With much effort, Kagome was able to heft herself up onto the slanted ground, while trying to find Naraku.

* * *

"You _will_ find her!" He roared at the man, and left the room, slamming the door with enough force to break it in two.

His aura flared as he glided through the building and became tangible enough to melt the furniture he passed. Sesshomaru was as bloodthirsty as the devil, and he had a certain hanyou's head he wanted mounted on his wall.

* * *

"You'll have to fight me eventually, Kagome-chan," Naraku taunted, his voice sliding into her ear.

She shivered against the humid night air, and wished she could see better. The moon was only a crescent that night, and though it gave her courage, it did little else. Naraku had the element of surprise on his hands, and the only thing she had left to her name was her quick thinking.

She'd put fragments of the puzzle that was Naraku together, but she still couldn't comprehend the entire picture. He was able to use some types of magic, but he wasn't a demon nor a human. He claimed he couldn't be purified, so then could his body be killed instead?

Her head whipped around when she heard a rustle close to her. She was still hiding in plain sight on the rooftop, and she didn't know if he'd followed her or not.

Testing her weight on the side of the building, she attempted to quietly slip away from their elevated battlefield. Kagome entered a room through its window only to find him waiting for her.

"Leaving so soon?"

"I was hoping to," she ground out and let her powers surface.

"Remember, those things don't work on me," he gestured to her aura while grinning.

But she was two steps ahead of him. Driven by pure instinct and adrenalin that was swiftly decreasing, she circled him. His grin suggested he was off guard but she wasn't fooled, and she kept her distance in a ready stance.

Measuring the distance with a critical eye, she subtly lined Naraku up with the window she had entered through and then charged. He, not expecting her irregular movement, blocked her with his arms, allowing her to push him. When he realized he was hanging out of a window it was too late, the woman fighting him appearing like an enraged warrior goddess.

Kagome struck his head with a fatal blow and let her powers and the ones gifted to her by the shikon jewel explode into his head, effectively purifying his soul. His body dropped from her grasp and out the window, landing with a bone-chilling snap.

She watched the body for a few minutes as her head cleared from the adrenalin rush and she returned to her normal state. It didn't seem real. That body—Hayate's body?—or Naraku's was a lifeless lump at the bottom of the mansion, and Naraku's spirit purified from the world.

And in return, she felt the powers she had never been quite able to use that were given to her by the shikon no tama drain out of her body. She mutely recalled Kikyo's words saying that in the world, purity and darkness balanced each other, and for such an evil like Naraku to die, she had to give up some of her purity.

And she had, just by ending him, already given up a large amount of her purity. She had killed a man, and the thought sickened her. He'd been a cruel, horrible man who would've done exactly the same to her without a second thought, but she wasn't like that. She was a being made for love, who thrived on life and was never meant to take it.

Kagome leaded her back against the wall, turning her head from Naraku's corpse and reflected, her mind in a mess. She shed no tears for her lost purity or Naraku's death, but the ideas swarmed in her mind and that saddened her. Kikyo, whose soul she could thankfully still feel, thrummed out a steady beat, reassuring her that death was simply a part of the cycle of life.

That was how they found her. Sesshomaru, who had left Rin with Jaken at the first light, had taken matters into his own hands and searched for his wife. There had been no trail for him to follow, but after the sun could be seen rising, he felt her soul call out to his. She was wounded.

He found the abandoned mansion in a secluded part of the wilderness, only a dirt road leading up to it. Sesshomaru circled the house once, and to his amassment, found the body of Hayate crumpled on the ground, its heart still. After that, he made assumed the worst, and rapidly followed her scent up into a room on the highest floor.

She was sitting in a corner with a dark look on her face, and he went to her, curling her body up into his lap. He needed touch to make sure she was still here, still very much alive and alright, and she needed him to keep her grounded.

After what felt like hours, she spoke, her voice hoarse. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to save you," his response sounded weak, even to himself.

"I'm okay."

He kissed her cheek, another soft touch to reassure them both.

"I handled him myself."

"Your first kill." It wasn't a question.

She hummed an affirmative and quieted. "I shouldn't feel sorry."

"Then don't."

"It's not that simple."

He began tracing patterns on the back of her hand and she sighed into his warm embrace. "Could you love a killer?"

He nearly snorted, if the matter at present hadn't been so important to her. "I _am_ a killer."

"How…" she whispered, and shut her eyes forcefully, "how do you come to terms with yourself?"

He said nothing but rested with her, letting her sort through her mind and find the answer within herself. When they spoke again, it was late in the day, and he led her out of the abandoned mansion, both never looking back.

* * *

Only the epilogue left now! And I'd like to thank you so much, my reviewers and readers, because you have made this story infinitely more enjoyable for me. It's been a great ride, and you guys made every step of the way more fun. Thanks so much, guys! ~Gracie :)

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.


	38. Epilogue: Rin's Birthday

"Rin, would you get the four out of the cupboard for me?" Kagome shouted over the loud music playing in the kitchen.

The young girl, nearly oblivious to everything but the tune she was dancing along to, made her way over to her sister and retrieved the item. Bopping along as she danced over to her sister, Rin raised the flour jar high up over her head and made a twirl. The unsteady lid was tossed up over the girl and smashed in front of Kagome, alerting her to Rin's imbalance. She whipped her head around quickly, just in time to see her little sister topple over.

"Wait, Rin, no!"

With speed that would've impressed even her icy demon lord husband, Kagome snatched the flour before it crashed on the floor, and managed to catch her sister's body in her other arm. When the flour in the air settled, Kagome lowered Rin to the floor and laughed.

"Any other day, and boy would you be in trouble… but I suppose on your birthday we can make a small exception." Kagome smiled at the grinning birthday girl and ruffled her hair. "Go take a bath before the party."

A few hours later, all three members of the family plus Miroku, Sango and Inuyasha were gathered around the dinner table eating the cake Kagome had whipped up. They spoke in loud tones, the party merry and filled with laughter.

"So how old are you now, Rin?" Sango asked, though she already knew.

"Sango! How could you forget? I'm fou—five!" Rin had attempted to scold, but a wide, toothy grin grew on her face at her mistake.

"But 'ya look eight," Inuyasha mumbled in the corner, watching the party with light eyes.

"Yasha!" Rin stifled the smile on her face, excited to use Kagome's signature angry tone at him, "you should know better than to ask a lady's age."

"I didn't ask, I commented."

"So rude!" Rin shouted, finally unable to hide her smile.

"Yes, Inuyasha!" Kagome walked over scooted her chair closer to Rin, seconding her little sister. "So rude!"

The girls erupted into giggles, Sango included, and the men looked on. Miroku, because they were his beloved family, Inuyasha, because they reminded him of the way he used to act, and how he should play now, and Sesshomaru… because they were the light of his life, and the ones who taught him how to love.

He leaned towards them, kissing Kagome on her lips, and then Rin on her forehead. "Happy birthday, sweetheart."

* * *

Kagome slipped her dress off over her head and glanced at her mate. He was sitting in a chair across the room, watching her undress with hungry eyes. She smiled, her cheeks rosy, and spoke to him.

"I think the party went well."

He let out a low rumble in agreement. She sat on the edge of their bed and slid her tights down her legs, agonizingly slow. Smirking, she watched his eyes cloud over in desire, and Kagome turned, shielding half his view.

He groaned, and was at her side in a second. "Tonight, let's skip the small chat."

His hand moved over her soft skin and skipped over her breast. His mouth moved to find hers, but she avoided him with a quick turn of her cheek. She watched him draw in steady breaths and then frown at her.

"What?" She narrowed her eyes at him and removed his hands from her chest, squeezing them before he drew back. "It was your turn last time. You promised, Sesshomaru."

He sighed, and rolled his eyes at her. "So I did."

"And now it's my turn," she whispered into his ear. "So strip, youkai."

He groaned again as she peeled his shirt off and yanked on the zipper of his pants. When he was more naked than she, Kagome sat back and admired him in a way that made his heart leap. Their lips met and she pushed him down, her hands snaking south towards his region that fascinated her in a way that seemed so _naughty_.

She brushed her palm across his length and then gave a firm pull, and watched his face soften and then draw hard. She kissed his eye lids and he looked at her, his eyes warm, and fierce, and filled with love.

Kagome kissed a trail down his well-muscled chest and paused when she reached a hip bone. She let her tongue flick across his skin and watched his shift into something that made her feel so powerful, to have the great demon lord looking like he would do anything to have her. After a minute of her devilish power streak, she found herself wanting, and decided not to tease him any longer.

Aligning her core with him, she slid down quickly, and began to move fast, barely giving him enough time to sort through the sensations. She bucked her hips when he thrust up into her hard, and he found her bud, rubbing it slightly to throw her off the edge. He followed soon after and they collapsed into an embrace, holding each other tight lest they be torn apart again.

He nuzzled his head in her hair, breathing in her scent deeply, feeling his heart constrict with a bursting, warm emotion. He would've laughed if he'd had the chance; he still reveled at the fact that the woman he'd been waiting so long for was a bare slip of a girl, human with a mind of her own and the biggest heart he'd ever seen.

But after waiting so long for Kagome, the only woman who had ever stirred up such feelings in him, he was determined not to let her get away. Nearly a week after Kagome had killed Naraku, he'd cemented their fate together and mated her, sharing his lifespan. They had a long life set out before them as a family, which should've made Kagome slow down and just relax, but she still acted exactly how she had before, always on the move.

She snuggled closer to the man who meant so much to her, content to let herself bask in Sesshomaru's affections until the morning, and even longer, if the day allowed. But then, light as a butterfly kiss, she felt his lips on her temple.

"I love you." His voice was deep and raw, conveying more emotion in just three words then she could've in twenty.

She smiled, and in just one of her expressions he could see how much she loved him back.

* * *

Okay, it's finished! I can't express how much fun this has been for me, and I hope you've enjoyed my story as well. Please, tell me what you think of it now that it's finished. I hope to continue writing more so if you liked ADD, keep an eye out for me! See you soon :) ~Gracie

All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, no matter how much this author may love them.


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